Berea, April 10—Following the recent summer season rainfalls, access to Sehlabeng through Maqhaka gravel road remains a critical challenge due to the road cut off at Tsoili-tsoili village.
This was disclosed by Tsoili-tsoili Electoral Division (ED) Community Councillor Mr. Bothata Kheo during an interview with LENA on Friday.
Mr. Kheo said experienced much rain, as a result their only major gravel road linking Maqhaka to Sehlabeng is severely damaged to a point whereby at Tsoili-tsoili village there is a complete cut of the road.
He stressed that traffic flow is completely disrupted along that route as road users connecting to Sehlabeng are now forced to go through Lancers Gap, Maseru.
Mr. Kheo highlighted that for years such road has been accessible even though it was bad, but the contractor who was working on the water supply project to Maqhaka also contributed a lot on its damage, citing that he failed to make road side drainage system and water diversion furrows.
Additionally, he indicated that due to heavy rains, at some spots there are some flooding and silt deposit on the road and making it impossible for small vehicles to pass easily.
Mr. Kheo said in an effort to make accessible, as community members they have developed a strategy of maintaining it twice a week with their bare hands, normally on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
However, Tsoili-tsoili Community Councillor added that they still call for the government’s intervention with such road, highlighting that in case of emergencies like transporting ill people to Holy Family Health Centre, Maqhaka it becomes a serious problem.
He further said such road serves many villages which are highly populated, hence they call for the government to give it an urgent attention for public safety and to enhance other services.
When road conditions were normal, Maqhaka to Sehlabeng road was a strategic route constituting to a reduced travelling time for Berea plateau villages which includes, Ha-Ramoseka, Ha-‘Mapaki, Ha-Ramaqekoane, Tsita and others.
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