Berea, June 30 — Residents of Masaleng have appealed to the government to rehabilitate their access road, saying its poor condition is making it difficult for them to reach essential services and carry out daily activities.
Speaking in an interview with the Agency on Tuesday, Masaleng Community Councillor Mr Thibello Kanei said the road from Mahlokoaneng/Sefikeng to Masaleng is only about three kilometres long, but its poor condition forces road users to spend two hours or more travelling to the first village.
He said the road crosses seven streams, which become dangerous during the rainy season and put the lives of residents at risk.
Mr Kanei said recent seasonal rains have further damaged the road, leaving exposed rocks, deep gullies and large potholes that have made the community feel isolated from neighbouring villages.
“The condition of the road has also led to high transport costs,” he said.
According to Mr Kanei, public transport operators charge between M200 and M250 for a single trip, while private vehicle owners demand between M800 and M1,500 to transport sick people to Teyateyaneng or other nearby health facilities.
He appealed to the government to prioritise the rehabilitation of the road when allocating development funds, saying the project would improve access to Masaleng and surrounding villages such as Ha-Matholoana.
Mr Kanei also said the community is facing a shortage of clean drinking water despite being located near the Metolong Dam.
One of the road users, Mr Mothabeng Thaka-banna, described travelling between Mahlokoaneng and Masaleng as a difficult experience due to the badly damaged road.
He said motorists are often forced to take their vehicles for repairs after using the road due to the damage caused by its poor condition.
Mr Thaka-banna also appealed to the government to intervene and rehabilitate the road.
Despite the poor state of the access road, Masaleng is currently benefiting from the government’s rural electrification project.
Masaleng is located in the Ts’oana-Makhulo Constituency.
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