Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Jacques van Rensburg and Sesotho soundbite by David Masoeu MPL. See attached pictures here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Kopanong has written to the MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula, regarding the ANC-led Free State Provincial Government’s ongoing failure to address the dangerously deteriorated condition of the R26 road between Zastron and Van Stadensrus.
The R26 is a vital economic and social artery for residents, farmers, small businesses, and transport operators across the region. Its current state is marked by severe potholes, collapsing shoulders, and unsafe driving conditions places lives and livelihoods in jeopardy every single day.
Road users are forced to navigate hazards that should never exist on a provincial route, while emergency services, school transport, and agricultural logistics are severely compromised.
The DA has repeatedly warned that the continued neglect of provincial roads is symptomatic of a government that has lost control of basic service delivery. The Free State Provincial Government’s failure to address the severe risks of the road is a shocking disregard for public safety and economic stability.
The DA calls on the MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport to immediately:
- Provide a public explanation for the department’s failure to act.
- Release a clear and time-bound plan for the rehabilitation of the R26.
- Prioritise emergency repairs to prevent further loss of life, vehicle damage, and economic disruption.
The people of Zastron, Van Stadensrus, and surrounding communities deserve safe, functional infrastructure, not empty promises and bureaucratic silence.
The DA will continue to apply pressure through all available legislative and oversight mechanisms until the provincial government fulfils its constitutional duty to maintain safe roads.