Durban -The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport will launch the R80 million road improvement project in Kokstad to repair road infrastructure caused by the floods and to reposition the town as an economic corridor.
The floods have impacted key national and arterial roads and highways.
The provincial government has reported that repairs to the affected road network in the province will cost more than R5 billion.
The department said the route is a strategic economic corridor that connects the town of Kokstad to other strategic economic hubs in the neighbouring provinces.
The Department of Transport’s Thuba Vilane says the road will also serve as an essential link between the Kingdom of Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, which is vital for regional development.
On Friday, the department will do an inspection of progress in the construction of the multimillion-Rand upgrade of the N2 Kokstad intersection, which began last year.
Last year, The Mercury reported that the construction work on the interchange included widening of the existing Koppieskraal River Bridge, the building of six new box culverts, and the extension of one existing culvert and a new underpass.
The department has also employed 4000 young people to conduct repairs on flood-damaged and ageing infrastructure across the province.
“This programme is aimed at training and upskilling young people in doing minor repairs and road maintenance; this includes pothole patching, road marking, grass cutting and other related activities. Priority will be given to flood-damaged infrastructure and roads (blacktop and gravel) that have reached their lifespan,” said Chairperson of the Transport Portfolio Committee, Sibonelo Mtshali.