Question NW3726 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

a) R56 between Kokstad and Matatiele is formally named in the Department as P609. The overall condition of this portion of R56 can be deemed being in a poor to very poor condition. A network level visual assessment of the road was carried out in June 2017.

The first 8 km’s of the road are in a very poor condition having a surface condition index of less than 25%. This section has very poor drainage, which has resulted in extensive crocodile cracking of a severe nature with scattered occurrences of pumping. The section also has severe longitudinal cracking and intermittent patch failure. Severe potholes were also identified as a common occurrence on this first 8km stretch.

The rest of the road, from km 8 to km 32 shows more or less the same kind of defects as the first uniform section but these defects can be described as being in the warning category. The average surface condition index for this section can be estimated to be about 40%, deeming this section as being in a poor condition. The potholes identified in the section are no more than a degree 3 collectively and they occur in isolated sections. The crocodile cracking as well as patch failure are still a major issue on this section as they were in the first.

b) Whilst 32 kilometers of P609 which is the nearest section of road from the KZN province region to the Eastern Cape boarder, towards Matateile, it can be confirmed that the rehabilitation plans are only envisaged to commence during the 2020-2021 financial year. With the current condition of the road being deemed as poor due to defects related to functionality, the structural capacity of the road is however relevantly sound and poses no risk to the design life of the road or any other unanticipated catastrophic failures. However, holding maintenance measures in a form of patching and pothole repairs where necessary will be conducted on an ongoing basis to ensure safe driving conditions.