The DA-governed Kouga Municipality has once again demonstrated its status as the Eastern Cape’s leading municipality by launching its Road Resealing Project, the largest funded project in the municipality’s history.
[see pictures here, here and here.]
Kouga’s roads will undergo a much-needed upgrade through a R200 million loan from the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA). The money will be spent on resealing and upgrading the municipality’s road infrastructure.
Kouga has a road network spanning 288 km and will be upgrading roads in all nine towns within the municipality.
The DA congratulates Kouga Mayor Hattingh Bornman and his team for prioritising Kouga’s road infrastructure and for their innovative, forward-thinking approach in obtaining the loan.
When completed, the project will increase the safety of road users and have a positive impact on the tourism economy.
Kouga’s progressive attitude toward roads is also visible in the stretch of plastic road in Jeffreys Bay – the only one of its kind in Africa. This alternative construction solution requires far less maintenance and lasts longer than traditional tar roads.
In a province where only 9% of the roads are paved, the DA-governed Kouga stands as a beacon of hope, showing what can be done when there is a political will to solve the problems our people are facing.
Last year, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) released a report outlining the devastating impact of the Eastern Cape’s crumbling road infrastructure on the economy, job creation, and access to essential services.
Poor road conditions affect almost every aspect of life for the people in this province, with limited access to healthcare, education, and job opportunities being just a few of the severe consequences.
When we took over the government in 2016, Kouga was a broken municipality. Since then, the DA has put Kouga on the path to prosperity and will continue to deliver the DA difference to the people of Kouga.