The DA-governed Kouga Municipality has invested millions of rands over the past two years to upgrade its road network in order to connect people to opportunities and boost the economy.
In total 25 roads (28 000 metres) have been upgraded from gravel to tar in Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp and Thornhill.
On Tuesday, 30 August 2022, I was joined by Kouga Executive Mayor, DA Cllr Horatio Hendricks, in conducting a road network oversight inspection in Thornhill, where R4.9 million was spent on upgrading seven roads. (pictures here, here and here)
In Jeffreys Bay 10 roads were upgraded in Pellsrus in the amount of R8.8 million, while in Humansdorp (Kwanomzamo, Arcadia and Kruisfontein) almost R7.3 million was spent on tarring eight roads.
Between October 2017 and August 2022 the municipality repaired 46 524 potholes and a new contractor has now been appointed to repair tens of thousands more.
A tender is also currently being advertised for the resealing of existing tar roads.
Although the challenge to address the neglect of the road network by previous ANC-administrations is a mammoth task, further exacerbated by population growth, the Kouga Municipality continues to illustrate its commitment to improving and maintaining its roads.
Striking a balance between investment in new road infrastructure and the maintenance of existing road infrastructure remains a top priority for the Kouga Municipality.
Improving this infrastructure is vital for sustainable economic growth and the overall improvement of the quality of life of residents. It connects people to opportunities and rural or informal areas to the mainstream economy.
Kouga remains an example of how the DA gets things done in municipalities where we govern.