12 August 2026, Eastern Cape – Eastern Cape MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, has assured the Kou Kamma Local Municipality based farming industry that government has undertaken steps to repair the R62 national road between Kareedouw and Joubertina that was damaged by floods in May this year.

MEC Nqatha was speaking at a stakeholder engagement session that his department, together with the Kou Kamma Local Municipality and the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL), convened with local stakeholders – including the farming industry – in Kareedouw, Eastern Cape.

The stakeholder engagement session provided an opportunity for government to give an update on its plans to repair the R62 national road. SANRAL also used the opportunity to provide an overview of the project, including the economic opportunities it presents for local emerging contractors, suppliers, and the broader community.

“As government, we have received reports that there are protests that emanate from this community regarding the slow pace of repairs on the R62 road that was damaged by floods. Given the importance of this road in the province, we felt we should come here and address you personally to allay your fears, particularly the farming community, and assure you that work is being undertaken to repair the road. We are alive to the social and economic impact that the damage of the R62 has on households and the overall livelihood of communities that live around here.”

“We are also aware of the costs that were incurred by the farming community in constructing a bypass, as well as the farming community’s plea to be compensated for costs used to fund the bypass to the R62 that they built,” said MEC Nqatha.

Local farmers self-funded and built a private bypass to the R62 following the flood damages. The farmers previously asserted that there was a communication breakdown with government.

In response, SANRAL – in whose authority the R62 falls under – has also previously asserted that, as a state-owned company that has a responsibility to adhere to the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it cannot fund construction work that takes place outside of its road reserve (in this case, the private by-pass). The roads agency has, however, rendered technical support and helped with Stop/Go traffic accommodation for the bypass for easier regulation and flow of traffic in the road reserve.

SANRAL has also previously asserted that all assistance from the roads agency must be formalised by a variation order which must be approved before any contractor can do work on the bypass, which is standard supply management requirement by the roads agency.

“SANRAL reiterates its empathy with the local farming community and fully understands that when inclement weather conditions occur, local communities become inconvenienced and there is always a cost associated with the damage. While adhering to internal procurement processes, SANRAL has appointed a contractor to do emergency repair work on the road,” said Siphesihle Bulose, SANRAL’s Project Manager.

Bulose has also affirmed that, at a total cost of almost R42m, construction started in June, and the project is expected to be completed in December this year. Over 50 job opportunities are expected to be provided.

“The scope of work that will be done on the repairs includes site establishment, accommodation of traffic, construction of gabion baskets and mattresses, full pavement layer works, material sourced commercially, compaction of fill material, lab will be continuously involved to check compaction and material quality, water cart to be provided for compaction requirements, ancillary works which include guardrails, signs, line markings and restoring fence,” added Bulose.

-ENDS-

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Issued by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL). For editorial content or additional information contact Lwando Mahlasela on 082 440 5305 or pressoffice@nra.co.za