Minister of Transport, Ms. Dipuo Peters, will host community imbizo in Harrismith which is under Thabo Mofutsanayna District in the Free State Province on Friday, 10 April 2015.
Minister Peters will be joined by the MEC for Police, Roads and Transport in the Free State Province, Mr.Butana Komphela, CEO of South African Roads Agency (SANRAL) Mr. Nazir Ali as well as senior provincial and national officials.
The Imbizo will focus on the construction of the De Beer`s pass in the Eastern Free State.
The proposed De Beer`s pass route has led to opposition from business forums, townsfolk and politicians in the region since the new route would by-pass Harrismith and Warden.
SANRAL signed a contract with N3TC to manage the N3 from Heidelberg to Cedara. As part of the concession it was decided that, as soon as the threshold of traffic on the N3 reached 15 000 vehicle per day, a new section of the N3 will be built between Warden and Keeversfontein to offset geographic challenges at the Van Reenen’s pass.
SANRAL had a number of community Imbizo’s within the Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality to try and clarify the construction of the road and to explain what advantages such a venture may hold for locals. Not all community members buy into the idea of the construction of the road.
This is because they are of the opinion that the construction of the road will have a negative impact on their socio-economic environment as the N3 will no longer be operational and many local people depend on the tourism and trading opportunities created by the current flow of traffic because the N3 passes through towns like Harrismith and Warden.
The details of the Imbizo are as follows:
Date: Friday,10 April 2015
Time: 10h00
Venue: Harrismith Town Hall
Members of the media attending the event are requested to confirm their attendance with Motlatsi Lebea on 073 32 39 333 or LebeaM@dot.gov.za or Saki Mohono on 0834298269 or MohonoS@freetrans.gov.za
Inquiries:
Ishmael Mnisi
Cell: 072 566 0827
