The Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) has confirmed that R22 million has been allocated for Phase II of the D3715 road's rehabilitation, with the project expected to be completed in six months.
The announcement came on Sunday, 16 November, when RAL introduced contractors responsible for rehabilitating the D3715, the R522 between Louis Trichardt and Vivo, and the D4 linking the N1 to Elim. The session was held at the Makhado Local Municipality's council chamber and convened by RAL board chairperson Rembuluwani Moses Tseli, with municipal officials, traditional leaders and political representatives in attendance.
The D3715 has a long history of delays and poor workmanship. In 2020, former Public Works MEC Dickson Masemola budgeted R11.5 million for the D959 from Louis Trichardt to the Makhado Air Force Base and the D3715 from Madabani to Tshikhodobo. While work on the D959 was completed later that year, substandard work on the D3715 prompted an investigation by the SIU, forcing the contractor to return to rectify the issues.
In January 2022, R30 million was allocated to repair the D3715. The first phase, costing R8 million, addressed a 3.5 km stretch between Madabani and Madodonga, while the remaining R22 million was meant for the 8.1 km stretch to Tshikhodobo. Despite these investments, the road remains in poor condition, endangering motorists.
Residents of Hakutama have long voiced frustration over poor service delivery, pothole-ridden roads, unreliable electricity and water shortages. On 6 October, they marched from the information centre in Louis Trichardt to the council chambers, demanding urgent action from Makhado Mayor Dorcus Mboyi and the municipal manager.
Other roads in the area, such as the D1818 connecting Maebani, Makhitha and Muraleni, and the Madabani to AFB Makhado road, remain untarred and poorly maintained, making travel difficult, especially during the rainy season.
Tseli said the second phase of the remaining 4 km of the D3715 project would commence soon and was expected to be completed by May 2026. He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor throughout construction to avoid delays.