NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 26
DATE REPLY SUBMITTED: THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2009
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: FRIDAY, 14 AUGUST 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 7 â 2009)
Mr H B Groenewald (DA â NW) asked the Minister of Transport:
(1) With reference to the current situation on the N14 in the North West
between Klerkskraal and Krugersdorp, what is the reason for this road
being closed;
(2) whether anything has been done since the occurrence of this situation
to remedy it; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether anything will be done to solve this problem; if not, what is
the position in this regard; if so, (a) when, (b) when will the road
be re-opened and (c) why is it taking so long?
CW38E
REPLY:
The Minister of Transport:
1) The reason the road was closed was due to sinkholes that had formed
within the road reserve and because this poses a danger to road users.
(2)
and
(3) (a), (b) and (c)
The North West Province was originally in the process of transferring
a portion of the N14 to the South African National Roads Agency Limited
(SANRAL). However, due to recent changes in the demarcation of the border
between the North West Province and the Gauteng Province, a section of
the N14 had to be ceded to the Gauteng Province. It has been
established that the affected area falls within this section and that
no provision for this work was made in the 2009/10 Gauteng Provincial
Budget. The Province is now aware of the problem and are finalising a
report assessing the extent of the problem before procuring services to
address the problem. However, the Department of Transport is not aware
of the planned actions and timeframes.
In the event of transfer of this section of road from the Gauteng
Province to SANRAL being approved, SANRAL would be in a position to
address the matter with immediate effect and open the road as soon as
the necessary remedial works are completed. The Department of
Transport has since sent a letter to the Gauteng Transport MEC,
recommending a reprioritization of the Provincial Budget to address
the problem or to consider transferring this section of the N14 as per
the original arrangement between the previous owner (North West
Province) and SANRAL.