Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Carina Serfontein and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Stone Makhema. See attached pictures here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will escalate the ongoing collapse of the R720 gravel road between Koppies, Edenville and Heilbron to the Provincial Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport, while initiating formal oversight measures to enforce urgent remedial action, restore access, and ensure accountability for this failed project.
One month after urgent calls for intervention, there has been zero improvement, zero urgency, and zero accountability regarding the collapse of the R720 gravel road between Koppies, Edenville and Heilbron.
Instead of action, there has been blame-shifting, with responsibility being passed onto contractors, while the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.
Let this be clear: Government cannot outsource responsibility. Oversight remains their duty.
The road has now deteriorated into a full-scale infrastructure failure.
Residents are effectively cut off, with certain areas becoming inaccessible during rainfall, leaving communities with no safe exit routes. Heavy vehicles and trucks transporting loads are getting stuck for days at a time, while cars, tractors and farming equipment continue to suffer damage. The road has become functionally impassable.
Water continues to flood the road due to the complete absence of proper drainage. Stormwater infrastructure remains damaged or destroyed, and in several sections, the road has been reduced to a single lane, with construction debris still obstructing access.
The road is now in a worse condition than ever before.
With the harvesting season fast approaching, the consequences of continued inaction will be severe. Farmers will be unable to transport produce to silos and markets, placing immense strain on the agricultural value chain, including VKB Group and Senwes. Despite repeated warnings, there has been no meaningful intervention.
Failure to enforce, monitor, and act is a governance failure.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands immediate provincial intervention, including:
- Emergency measures to restore basic access.
- Immediate installation of drainage infrastructure.
- Urgent stabilisation of the road.
- Full accountability — including consequences for both contractors and overseeing authorities.
Clear warning signage must also urgently be installed at all access points to prevent further incidents and protect road users.
The continued neglect of this road is dangerous, irresponsible, and unacceptable.
Communities are stranded. Farmers are being crippled. Lives are at risk. Blame will not fix this road. Action will.