South Africa’s Moloto Road to be upgraded, Minister announces $217m investment

South Africa's government has earmarked an investment of USD 217 million to reconstruct parts of notorious Moloto Road that had taken the lives of six people on Monday. The Moloto Road links three provinces – Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

South Africa's Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande has declared a number of construction projects across the nation with an intention to improve road infrastructure that also assures employment opportunities. According to Nzimande, the overall road-construction project is expected to create around 12,500 jobs over its five-year period.

"The first phase of the project, which includes construction of temporary bypasses and upgrading the main carriageway between Siyabuswa and Marble Hall in Limpopo, is nearly complete, Nzimande further said.

The Moloto Road passing through Thembisile Hani Municipality in Mpumalanga will also include construction of Tweefontein and Kwaggafontein access roads that are expected to generate 600 job opportunities for the locals. On the other hand, since this road is famously known for its fatal road accidents, the government is trying to develop other modes of transport like a rail network.

"It is crystal clear that we need a Moloto rail along this road. The problem is that the government will have to find funds for that. We don't have enough funds to extend a rail but we will have to work on that considering rail as the backbone of public transport," the Minister added.

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