Mr Speaker, Cope is deeply concerned about the rapid deterioration of the brand new 185 km Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project roads. It seems as though government has bungled yet another project paid for by the already cash-strapped taxpayers.
Chunks of SA's R20 billion freeway are warping to such an extent that they will have to be cut up and relaid; motorists are going to be considerably inconvenienced once again; and scarce resources that should have been applied to other infrastructure will be absorbed in what should have been finished. According to reports, the SA National Roads Agency Limited, Sanral, is trying to downplay the gravity and magnitude of the problem.
Cope calls for an independent investigation to be conducted in order for the truth to surface. In particular, the country needs to know why motorists are going to be tolled for a substandard highway, and whether this surface will last for any length of time. Cope believes that an investigation of the quality of work must be undertaken, and that all aspects of the tender should be fully scrutinised to ascertain whether the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, was fully complied with.
Cope calls on government to take heed of the fact that the country is fed up with its using taxpayer's money to buy shoddy and inferior services at inflated prices. I thank you. [Applause.]