Eastern Cape roads, known for their many potholes and for being impassable when it rains, face a bleak future as the provincial government needs R151bn to fix the backlog. Just 10% of Eastern Cape roads are surfaced. Recent floods in areas such as Port St Johns left roads and bridges damaged, adding to the backlog while underperformance remains a big challenge.
Buffalo City Metro, desperate to solve its cash flow problems, wants either the provincial or national government to reimburse it for millions it spent upgrading Settlers Way from the Fleet Street police station to King Phalo Airport.But both the provincial and national governments said the R72 stretch in question did not belong to them and they had no agreements with the city before the upgrade.
Eastern Cape motorists have been warned to travel with caution as road works and blasting operations along the N2 between Makhanda and the Fish River Pass will continue well into the next year.