The South African roads sector has an infrastructure backlog amounting to almost R200 billion, transport minister Dipuo Peters said at the Hope Ministry Church in Kempton Park on Monday.

The roads sector has been facing many funding and skills challenges which have all contributed to the backlog.

The transport minister recently highlighted the need for the department to bring in people from outside South Africa to assist across the country, as she said the country was still experiencing a shortage of skills in many sectors.

Limpopo in desperate need of road construction funding

In Limpopo, R7.3 billion is needed for road construction as part of the Bermuda Road projects.

Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) CEO Maselaganye Matji said the construction backlog was assessed and amounted to R7.3 billion at a media briefing on Monday in Polokwane. He added that the actual implementation of the projects would be spread out over a five to 10 year period.

Matji highlighted the successes of the RAL over the past year and said it managed to achieve an improved audit opinion from the Auditor General Kimi Makwetu after five years, which he said was a major turnaround for the organisation.

He added that a lot of effort was made in order to stabilise the company and also noted that private sector partnerships would help bring in more funds.

Facts and figures

The RAL’s 2015/2016 annual report indicated that 5‚928 km of the province’s 20‚260km roads are tarred while 14‚334 km remain gravel.

Matji noted that more than R200 million was spent on projects that have now been completed, another R3,2 billion is still required to assist with the road maintenance backlog.