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 A story was recently broadcast on Power FM suggesting the R81 that was opened by President Jacob Zuma last week in Limpopo is “already falling apart”.
SANRAL would like to clarify what has been unfortunate and misleading media reporting on the matter.
 
The total length of the road under SANRAL’s jurisdiction is approximately 146 km.  The road was divided into three phases with the third phase being the 8 km through the mountain pass.
 
The road President Zuma opened, which is from Polokwane to Munnik and is a link between Polokwane and Giyani is not falling apart. The project was completed in July 2013 between km 4,0 to 62,0.  
 
The section through Ga-Sekgopo between 62,0 to km 70,0 (8 km – mountain pass) is in the design phase.  The engineering in this section, being a mountain, pass is complex compared to the other two phases of the project, with it containing a number of bridges as well. We are also awaiting environmental authorization for the project.    It is envisaged that construction on the 8 km section of the road will begin in the second half of the new year.  In the meantime maintenance procedures are continuing on this section of the road.   
The section from km 70,0 to km 150,0 –  which basically completes the remainder of the R81 to Giyani – was completed in January 2012.



However, we can report that there are repairs currently being done on the sections identified as “falling apart” that do not fall under the jurisdiction of SANRAL.  These repairs are being done by the Provincial road authorities.   
 
“In an environment where SANRAL is making headlines, we understand the urge by the media to sensationalize any story about the agency. However, certain basic minimum standards are expected even from the sceptics or critics,” SANRAL’s head of communications Vusi Mona said.