Free State Agriculture (FSA) has expressed guarded optimism about the announcement made by the provincial government that it had set aside R13 million for the rehabilitation of roads.
Speaking at the recent launch of The October Transport Month campaign, MEC for Free State police, roads and transport William Bulwane said that most roads in the province had reached the end of their lifespan, which meant they needed to be reconstructed, while others required repair and maintenance.
Francois Wilken, FSA president, said in a statement this announcement followed "sustained pressure by FSA on the authorities".
"However, actions speak louder than words, and we will monitor the situation closely and continue to hold the government accountable for the abysmal [state of thel roads [in the province]."
He told Fanner's Weekly that it was vital for political decisionmakers and civil servants to realise that the road network formed the core of economic activity in the Free State.
Virtually the entire economic sector, of which agriculture formed a large part, depended on road transport in particular, since the country's rail network had been "reduced to rack and ruin".
"By now, the entire country's road users are probably aware of the deplorable condition of the Free State's roads. The derelict roads make it extremely difficult for agricultural producers to get their produce to market and to get inputs to the farms.
"The potholed, worn-away and often impassable road surfaces have a terrible impact on vehicles and agricultural machinery, and push up production costs even more," Wilken said.
According to him, it was very important that the undertaking by the provincial government to rehabilitate the
