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Residents appeal for road to sustain economic activity
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Roads and Public Works

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MEDIA RELEASE
 TO ALL MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 12 APRIL 2001

RESIDENTS APPEAL FOR ROAD TO SUSTAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

OYSTER BAY residents made an urgent appeal to Roads and Public Works MEC, Phumulo Masualle, to help the community to prosper by tarring the 
road surface from Humansdorp to this close knit community. MEC Masualle was part of an Eastern Cape top government delegation that was on 
an outreach programme to the Tsitsikamma region.

Speaking on behalf of the community at a public meeting held in the town’s hall, Hennie Franzsen, told MEC Masualle that the absence of a 
"permanent road surface" impacted negatively on their economic activities, farming and tourism.

"MEC we thank you for coming here and displaying a hands on approach to the problems that we have raised in various memoranda that we have 
sent through to your office. However, we are dependent on good roads, and tourism cannot happen without a proper infrastructure," he said.

Franzsen added that farming and tourism formed the backbone of their economy and could assist to create more job opportunities in the area 
but absence of a proper road infrastructure meant that they would suffer.

He explained that during the peak holiday season they got up to 736 cars going through their roads in every two hours compared to 284 
during off peak and this meant that even if the gravel road had been graded it would go back to its original dilapidated state.

"After the holiday season the road goes back to what it was before,’ he said.

Bad roads for the Oyster Bay community have these implications:

* People do not get public transport because owners fear that their vehicles will be damaged;
* Ambulances services are horrifyingly affected making it difficult to get the elderly and sickly to get to hospitals;
* Farm produce is spoiled before it gets to the market. An example of 200 000 litres of milk that have to be dumped because container 
trucks cannot pick it up when it is raining;
* Schooling for children does not continue because the transport owners refuse to drive on the bad roads

MEC Masualle explained to the meeting the purpose of his visit as being part of a wider exercise by Government where the Executive Council 
interacts with the people to get first hand briefing on burning issues in their communities.

"I have heard it all here," he said. "It has been quite a fruitful exchange."

The MEC conceded that "regravelling and regravelling" of roads had proved not to be a permanent solution to the rural roads crisis. 
"Experience is beginning to show that when it has been regravelled people want to use it more often three months down the line it is gone. 
A lasting solution to this is to tar the surfaces, we have already identified that."

Clarifying absence of progress, the MEC told the community representatives that there had been problems with funding that affected the 
state of roads across the province but that had been addressed. He said a provision, in the form of a special grant of R6 billion, has been 
made to develop the country’s infrastructure over a period of three years. For the current financial year, an amount of R147 million has 
been allocated to the Eastern Cape.

"We would like to have a successful province and for that we would like to have good roads," said Franzsen.

Except for the road, the community requested that the MEC investigate possibilities of building a school in Oyster Bay. They said that the 
children only studied up to standard five because there was no nearby high school.

In response, the MEC promised that the Provincial Education Department would investigate possibilities of a school in that area and not 
deprive children of their fundamental right to education. "Government does not want children who do not go to school. Doors of learning 
should be opened to all."

Represented organisations included: Umzamo wethu Residents Association; Tsitsikama East Agricultural Union, Farm Workers representatives, 
Goedgeloot Primary School and Oyster Bay Ratepayers Association

Expressing the joy that people felt when they saw the MEC visiting their area one resident, Pat Boenchley, told the East Bay meeting that 
"South Africa has indeed changed".

Organisations that attended the meeting with the MEC said that they wanted a good roads and would try creative ways of maintaining it 
themselves. Franzsen said they could consider setting up a toll gate to generate revenue for the maintenance of the road.

Issued by: Communications Division- Office of the Premier
 Inquiries: Mncedi Thamie Mgwigwi - 083 414 7760

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