Roads to ruin

Driving to Clarens recently Michael Avery was struck by the varied condition of the roads he drove on. From the excellently maintained but tolled N3 to the potholed death traps of the rural Free State there is a clear and growing disconnect between roads under different government authorities, and how they are funded and maintained. It almost goes without saying that the South African transport network plays a major role in the economy of the country and the well-being of society. This requires an integrated transport planning framework that meets clear strategic objectives for industrial development with links to distribution zones, promoting transport corridors for passengers and freight as well as promoting tourism. However, in 2014, the road maintenance backlog was reported as being R197-billion. Recent studies estimate it to be over R400-billion. To talk about where rubber hits when it comes to the state of the country’s road stock and how to improve it Avery was joined by Basil Jonsson, operations director, SA Road Federation, Saied Solomons, CEO, Southern African Bitumen Association, and Wayne Duvenage the CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse.​