Limpopo flood damage put at R300m
2013-02-12 21:38
Johannesburg - Limpopo's January floods caused damage
estimated at over R300m, the transport department said on Tuesday.
"The estimated damage to the roads and bridges
according to the preliminary inspection is R317m," spokesperson Tiyani
Rikhotso said.
Minister Ben Martins visited the province on Monday and
Tuesday to inspect the areas damaged by the floods.
"Many communities have been affected," Martins
said in a statement.
"The destruction of roads and bridges has
exacerbated the infrastructure backlog, considering that many communities still
do not have access to adequate transport infrastructure and services."
According to preliminary reports, 61 bridges and roads
were damaged in the Vhembe district, 24 roads and bridges were damaged in
Mopani, 12 roads and bridges were damaged on Sekhukhune, and five in the
Waterberg, he said.
The affected communities were looking to the government
to address their plight, but it could attend to their needs only if public
servants were willing, Martins said.
He said the transport department intervention team had
made significant progress stabilising the provincial department and its
agencies.
The team had introduced various measures to improve
governance, financial accountability and service delivery.
Where there was "prima facie evidence of
transgressing the law", it had referred cases to law enforcement.
Martins said disciplinary action was being taken against
people who undermined policies and government procedures in the province.
Various vacancies would also be filled.
"Whatever we do should be informed by due
processes," he said.
"Notwithstanding the work of the democratic
government since 1994, a lot still needs to be done to address the skewed
distribution of resources within and between communities."
He said it was important that the effort to stabilise the
province was sustained even after the intervention team had left.
- SAPA
