Facelift for Gabane with additional infrastructure development

 

Gabane South East Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Obakeng Sekolokwane has announced that Gabane internal road will soon get a facelift.

Speaking to The Midweek Sun this week, Sekolokwane expressed delight that government has finally heeded their cries. He said in the last meeting of the village leadership, they were told that government will spend close to P2 million for the facelift.

“We have been promised that the road will get a major facelift, remember the road has not been maintained for many years and that is why it has so many potholes that have been giving residents a headache,” he said.

A few months back, government and residents clashed several times with unhappy and fed up residents who resorted to fixing the potholes themselves using cement and concrete. They felt that government was taking too long to help them.

And although they did all this in good faith, the District Council was not happy at the work describing it as disaster waiting to happen.

They were told that if they continue fixing potholes in the manner they did, the Council will have no choice but to involve the police because what they were doing was illegal.

Speaking on behalf of a group of men who were fixing potholes at the time, Tshepiso Rantuana said the Council always took long to attend to potholes hence they took the decision to fix them.

“When we start fixing, they come and say they were planning to come that day, then say they will come the next day. They never show up, we are not fighting government but the more they delay, the more it gets frustrating for drivers,” he had said.

In defence, the Mogoditshane/Thamaga District Council attributed the delays to the magnitude of road problems all over the district, not just Gabane. They also argued that the material used by the men might cause more harm than good in future.

“I believe the clashes will finally end now that an almost new road will be coming. It is also worth noting that new streets lights are being installed in Gabane.

“We are thankful for this because we have been complaining that the South East side of the village was dark making it easy for thieves to attack people in their homes.

“Government has procured over 80 street lights and the contract is currently on site working on installing the streetlights,” he said.

Mogoditshane/Thamaga District Council Secretary Jimmy McKenzie confirmed that installation of street light works has commenced.