By Botho Male 
On Thursday, 22 November 2023, officials of the Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) met stakeholders to discuss rehabilitation of road infrastructure in the New Eersterus Community Hall in Hammanskraal, City of Tshwane. 
The meeting was part of a series of meetings between the Department and members of the Stinkwater, Eersterus Taxi Association (SETA), Soshanguve Local and Long-Distance Taxi Association (SOLLDTA) and PUTCO.
This follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Department and the City of Tshwane. The MOU outlines the terms of the agreement entered by both parties for the work to be conducted. 
New Eersterus community had raised complaints about the state of their gravel roads, and that the upcoming rainy season will only heighten the severity of their mobility issues. Taxi and bus operators are not able to safely transport commuters further into the community because of the state of roads. 
This, they added, leaves commuters vulnerable to criminal acts as they walk long distances to access public transport along Lucas Mangope Road, a main road in the area. Community members and officials from both the Department and municipality undertook an inspection of roads to be constructed and rehabilitated, a total length of 13,5km. The local authority was tasked with a compiling a plan identifying critical roads to be prioritised.
The community had pleaded with the Department and the municipality to fast-track the rehabilitation projects prior to the MOU expiring in two years. The Department and City of Tshwane then committed to delivering accelerated service delivery to the community. 
A forum, comprising all stakeholders, will continue to meet periodically to track and assess the project’s progress. This demonstrates the Department’s commitment to delivering quality road infrastructure to Gauteng communities, particularly improving the living conditions in Townships, Informal Settlements and Hostels (#TISH).