Latest news with #EvertduPlessis
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
E-toll debt bites into traffic light repair budget
The DA has raised serious concerns about an imminent budget shortfall that will see Gauteng's provincial traffic light maintenance grind to a halt before the end of July. This looming crisis threatens the safety and mobility of millions of road users across the province, including key urban areas such as Pretoria. 'This will affect the whole of the province,' warned Evert du Plessis, DA Gauteng spokesperson for Roads and Transport. 'There are traffic lights that belong to and are maintained by the province in every metro and municipality. Pretoria will definitely be affected as well.' The budget shortfall was revealed during a recent Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) Transport, Roads, and Logistics Committee meeting. Committee members were told that the allocated funds will be exhausted before the end of July, just three months into the financial year. In Pretoria, provincial roads, designated by the letter 'R', crisscross the city and act as vital connectors between suburbs and national routes. These include major corridors like the R55 and connecting streets, where intersections often depend on traffic signals to regulate the complex flow of daily commuters. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that provincial roads often intersect with national (Sanral) and municipal roads, creating shared responsibilities between all three spheres of government. 'We don't have a specific list for dysfunctional traffic lights on Tshwane's provincial roads as it changes on a daily basis,' explained Du Plessis. 'There are, however, a substantial number of provincial and national roads that cross metro boundaries. So all three tiers of government must take responsibility for their own infrastructure.' However, without a functional maintenance budget, Gauteng's provincial authorities will soon no longer be able to service their share of these intersections. Du Plessis said this shortfall is more than just an administrative hiccup. 'Non-functioning traffic lights pose a real threat to public safety, placing motorists and pedestrians at risk of collisions, violent crime at intersections, and delays that disrupt the daily routines of workers, parents, and emergency services. 'For the remaining nine months of the year, motorists could be stuck in gridlock, relying on pointsmen instead of functioning systems to reach their destinations,' he said. The DA has linked the budget collapse to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's decision to commit provincial funds to paying off e-toll debt, an obligation the province was never legally bound to. Lesufi said on March 18 that the Gauteng government will absorb the e-toll debt and will continue to service it. He also confirmed that the provincial government has gone to the Development Bank of Southern Africa for a loan to be able to service the shortfall on e-tolls. The total e-toll debt that the provincial government has to pay back is more than R20-billion. This includes R12.9-billion for the historical debt, R4-billion for interest, and R4-billion for maintenance. The government has agreed to repay this debt in five equal annual instalments, with the first payment of R3.8-billion being made on September 30, 2024. 'This is another example of service delivery money being squashed by an irrational political commitment,' said Du Plessis. The party has called on Gauteng MEC for Roads, Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Thabela, and the head of the department, Thulani Mdadane, to urgently redirect funding and prevent a province-wide gridlock. 'New technology and the assistance of law enforcement would also go a long way to address this ever-escalating problem,' he added. The DA pledged to continue pressing the issue in the GPL, demanding answers and accountability from the ANC-led provincial government. 'A DA-led Gauteng government would not allow residents to be placed in such dangerous or frustrating situations,' he said. 'We will prioritise funding for traffic lights as a matter of extreme urgency to ensure the safety and well-being of all road users in Gauteng.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- The Citizen
Man killed in structural collapse at abandoned R11 billion housing project
The Montrose Mega City housing project began in 2017 but has since stalled due to the liquidation of appointed contractors. A man died on the West Rand after being trapped under the rubble of an incomplete social housing project. The man was declared dead after a wall at the dilapidated government housing development collapsed on Tuesday. The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) extended its condolences to the deceased's family and stated that it was still committed to the project's completion. Failed steel reinforcements GDHS confirmed on Thursday that police were investigating the matter, but that the victim should not have been on the property. 'Preliminary information indicates that the individual was involved in unauthorised illegal activities at the site when a portion of a staircase structure collapsed,' the department stated. 'We wish to clarify that the building itself did not collapse, but rather that slabs forming part of the staircase gave way as the building's steel reinforcements were tampered with,' it clarified. The site has been a danger for several years, and the department stated that it was now in the final stages of securing a security service provider. The department reminded community members not to access the buildings, as further damage and vandalism will only delay their construction. 'I plead with the community not to enter the site, and to desist from removing any materials on the site,' stated Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara. 'We have criminally charged those found stealing on site and will do so again should we find any criminal activity on site again,' the MEC added. Montrose Mega City The Montrose Mega City project in Randfontein was launched in 2017 but has since failed to realise its proposed potential. The fully completed project was meant to provide just over 10 500 units of varying sizes at a cost of R11 billion for the impoverished people of the surrounding informal settlements. Infrastructure of any value that was installed has been stripped by vandals, while the unoccupied ruins are a haven for criminality and shelter for illegal miners. The development remains a brick-and-mortar shell without basic utilities and only temporary water and sewer infrastructure. Only R467 million of that overall budget has been spent so far, however, the long-term human cost of the stalled project is yet to be realised. Calls for investigation In the aftermath of the incident, Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow MEC Evert du Plessis stated the department had 'blood on their hands'. 'Premier Lesufi's government chose an incompetent company that has failed to deliver and is now holding this R11 billion project to ransom,' stated Du Plessis. ActionSA have also flagged the project's wastefulness in recent months, joining the DA in calling for accountability and extensive investigations. 'In addition to being an infrastructure disaster, this project is a breach of public confidence and a waste of tax revenue that could have changed lives and supplied much-needed housing,' stated ActionSA's Emma More. Commitment to completion GDHS confirmed the housing project was still part of their plans, representing a 'significant step in our commitment to delivering sustainable human settlements'. The department stated that it is in contact with the landowner to discuss the way forward after the appointed developer has been liquidated. 'The Department will continue to update the community of any progress we make in this regard. 'We remain fully committed to the safe and successful completion of the Montrose Mega City Development,' the department concluded. NOW READ: PICS: Gauteng's abandoned projects ruined by 'challenges' and vandalism
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Montrose now a ‘certified danger zone'
The Montrose Mega City Development has become a 'death trap' for residents, according to Evert du Plessis, Member of the Provincial Legislature and DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Human Settlements. His sharp criticism follows the tragic collapse of a structure at the site on May 5, which claimed one life. • Also read: One dead in Montrose building collapse In a statement released on May 7, Du Plessis stated that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, have blood on their hands and need to answer for it. 'Instead of hiring a competent developer, Lesufi's government chose an incompetent company that has failed to deliver and is now holding this R11b project to ransom. Sadly, the residents face the consequences of the developers' and politicians' actions. An urgent investigation must be launched into this tragic incident, and those responsible must be held accountable regardless of their position in the power structure,' said Du Plessis. He continued the project remains unfinished despite having cost over R467m of taxpayer money since it began. He attributed this to a dispute between the the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the developer of the project which has now left the site 'a certified danger zone'. 'Rather than providing relief to the thousands of residents in Randfontein, who are currently enduring inhumane and undignified living conditions, the project highlights the Gauteng government's tragic failure to deliver adequate housing.' He noted the DA has warned that if housing projects are left abandoned, they will be occupied illegally and vandalised by those with criminal intentions. Our caution fell on the deaf ears of an arrogant government, and now these projects are facing invasions and vandalism, which will undoubtedly lead to higher repair costs,' he stated. 'The DA Gauteng offers its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased in the Montrose tragedies,' Du Plessis concluded. Rand West City Local Municipality spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa declined to comment on the project, directing inquiries to the provincial government. Despite efforts to reach the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the project developer, no response had been received at the time of publication. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
