Construction work on the dangerous R573 Moloto road linking Pretoria to Mpumalanga and Limpopo province is set to begin after Sanral received US$0.1bn for its upgrade.
Department of Transport spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said that the project did not mean shelving the rapid rail system on the Moloto development corridor, but said that road safety was prioritised in Phase I.
The government’s promised work on this road has not progressed, resulting in fatal accidents on the road.
According to national expenditure estimates, the government will obtain funds for rehabilitating the road from the provincial roads maintenance grant while other funds will be sourced from the taxi recapitalisation programme.
According to Raquel Ferreira, the Treasury budget office Director, the government will cut expenditure ceiling to US $2.02bn (R25bn – R10bn in 2015-16 and R15bn for next financial year) by pursuing some priorities so fewer resources will be available for others.
