Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Ntombi Mokoena, Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Anelia Smit and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Diphapang Mofokeng. See attached pictures here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Phumelela has submitted questions to the MEC for Community Safety, Roads, and Transport, Mr Jabu Mbalula, to demand an immediate technical audit and a repair schedule for the R34. A critical structural failure has been identified: an underground municipal water pipe, reportedly connected to the sewage system, is leaking directly into the foundation of this vital national route.
This leakage is not only compromising the road’s stability but is causing raw sewage to flow into the nearby stream, creating a “ticking time bomb” for both motorists and the local ecosystem. The current state of the road goes far beyond typical maintenance issues; it represents a fundamental structural instability and a health and safety hazard that risks the lives of all commuters and residents.
The situation is particularly dire because the R34 is a key economic link between the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal for the agricultural and logistics sectors. The constant flow of water and sewage has made the road uneven, forming a hazardous “hump” that forces drivers to slow to 20km/h to navigate the section safely.
Despite the municipality placing temporary road signs, no permanent solution has been implemented to fix the underlying pipe burst. The Auditor General has previously flagged the deteriorating condition of this road. Yet, since the transition to the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) in 2024, there has been no visible progress in resolving this specific underground threat.
As a matter of urgent intervention, the DA Phumelela caucus has formally escalated this crisis from the municipal level to the Free State Provincial Legislature.