MAFIKENG MAIL - MABULE – Excitement engulfed residents of Mabule and Mathateng villages as Raltou Mayor, Cllr Matlhomola Jafta, handed over two completed link road projects to local Paramount Chief, Kopano Lekoko Village and his subjects recently.
Kgosi Lekoko was joined by members of his traditional council, local ward councillors and community members who came in numbers to witness what they termed a “dream come true” for basic service from government.
The one km paved road passing through part of the village to the local clinic, is a much-needed road to link the community to their health facility. The contractor was also appointed to construct another 1-kilometre link road that commenced with Mabule Road and expected to be handed over in due course in Mathateng village just nine kilometres south of Mabule. Both roads are worth R5.4 million.
During the event both the mayor and paramount chief hailed the contractor for what they termed a “sterling job”. Jafta, accompanied by MMC for Infrastructure, Cllr. Thabo Motlapele, members of his portfolio, the Municipal Manager Lloyd Leoko and Senior Manager responsible for Technical Services, Kagelelo Phiritshwane, urged the community to take care of their new road.
Meanwhile, the same contractor has been reappointed through a process of transversal contract to start the reconstruction of Kraaipan/Tlhakajeng internal link road in due course.
The infamous internal link road attracted a lot of media attention and public discourse after community members of Tlhakajeng village vented their anger and protested over the quality of the road. The community outrage was sparked by the collapse of the road base due to poor workmanship defects exposed by heavy rains that plugged the area after the road was completed.
This was despite numerous attempts by the Municipality`s Project Management Unit (PMU) and the Municipal Manager who intervened and urged the initial contractor to revisit his work and repair identified damages and defects on the road before the beginning and after rain season, but all in vain.
The said contractor has since been dismissed by the municipality following numerous meetings between the community and the mayor.
Speaking during the introduction of the current contractor, Jafta apologised on behalf of the municipality for any inconvenience caused to the community by the initial contractor and further reassured the community that their grievances were adhered to.
