Madam Deputy Speaker, with more than 70% of South Africa's energy needs being supplied by power stations in Mpumalanga, coal is being ferried in trucks from the mines to the power plants. This is resulting in the deterioration of and damage to our roads where these operations take place.
The maintenance of our coal haulage routes has always posed a challenge. In line with the ANC government's massive public investment programme for growth and employment creation, the government of Mpumalanga has budgeted R1,243 billion for the construction and maintenance of roads in the province over the next 10 months.
Investment in road infrastructure remains one of the major priorities of the government. The role of road infrastructure in economic development and job creation is critical. Thus construction and road maintenance projects have created jobs for 2 026 female-headed households through the Siyatentela programme, which employs poor women to do labour-intensive road maintenance work in their communities.
The ANC government welcomes this initiative and hopes that our provinces will follow suit. I thank you.