Commuters from around the Kutama area were excited when the five-kilometre stretch of the rehabilitated D3715 road from Madodonga to Muduluni reopened for motorists on 30 September.
The R30-million project officially commenced in July this year, and phase one was expected to be completed by the end of January 2025. It was a six-month contract, but the contractor managed to complete the work in only three months.
The road had been the cause of numerous fatal accidents over the past few years.
Kutama resident Mr Tebogo Ratshibungula had used the old, potholed road for many years. He said the bumpy, potholed road had damaged many cars. "I started using this road before it even had a bridge years ago," he said. "Some people could not go into town to work or arrived late for work because the road was so bad."
Even though he was full of praise for the work done, he expressed concern about the remaining stretch of the road that needs fixing. "We are worried about the poor state of the remaining 3.1 km stretch of road, which is filled with potholes too. It is becoming difficult for buses and taxis to ferry commuters as it is," he said.
He noted that it took the Road Agency Limpopo a long time to respond to their requests but was confident that a contractor would soon be appointed to start work on phase two of the project.
Taxi driver Mr Ntshenge Mamburu, who uses the road daily, welcomed its reopening. He said that having a proper main road was a true victory for motorists and residents in the area. "Even pupils had a hard time using this road because the people who ferried them to and from school always complained about the road's condition," he said.