BHISHO- The Democratic Alliance(DA) in the Eastern Cape has accused the Eastern Cape provincial government of failing to address the province’s deteriorating rural road network, warning that years of neglected maintenance are crippling the agricultural sector and isolating rural communities.
The criticism follows a meeting held on 20 July between Agriculture Eastern Cape and provincial government stakeholders to discuss the worsening condition of farm roads across the province. While the DA welcomed the engagement, the party said rural communities and farmers have heard similar commitments before without meaningful action.
DA Eastern Cape spokesperson on Agriculture, Heinrich Müller, said the condition of rural roads was the result of years of deferred maintenance rather than a lack of awareness.
“The crisis facing the province’s rural roads is not the result of inadequate communication. Farmers, businesses, communities and road users have repeatedly reported collapsing roads, dangerous potholes, damaged bridges and maintenance backlogs for years,” Müller said.
He argued that repeated warnings from stakeholders have not been matched by sufficient maintenance funding, realistic budgets, effective project management or timely intervention.
According to the DA, recent flooding has worsened an already critical situation, exposing the consequences of years of underinvestment in road infrastructure. Roads that were already in poor condition have become increasingly impassable, disrupting agricultural activities and limiting access to schools, healthcare facilities and other essential services.
The party said reliable road infrastructure is vital to the province’s rural economy. Farmers depend on accessible transport routes to move workers, livestock, farming inputs and produce to markets. Poor road conditions, the DA said, also affect emergency services, school transport, local businesses and food security.
Müller said regular meetings between government and stakeholders would have little value unless they produced measurable outcomes.
The DA is calling for an urgent action plan that includes clearly defined maintenance budgets, implementation timelines and the establishment of a joint oversight committee involving government and agricultural stakeholders.
In addition the party wants the committee to identify priority agricultural and rural roads requiring immediate attention, review available funding for maintenance and rehabilitation projects, and set firm deadlines for repairs. It is also calling for officials responsible for implementation to be identified and for government to provide details on how flood-damaged roads will be assessed and repaired.
The DA has proposed the introduction of a public monitoring system to track progress and improve accountability.
Müller also urged the provincial government to explain what alternative road-building and maintenance technologies are being considered, where they would be implemented, and how their effectiveness and value for money would be measured.
“The DA will continue to hold the provincial government accountable to ensure that government discussions produce tangible results, resulting in safer roads and meaningful improvements for the agricultural sector and rural communities,” he said.
The party warned that unless urgent action is taken, deteriorating infrastructure will continue to undermine the province’s economy.
It argued that when roads become impassable, farmers struggle to transport produce to market, children face difficulties getting to school and emergency vehicles are unable to reach patients in need. Without increased funding, clear implementation deadlines and effective public oversight, the DA said the Eastern Cape risks further losses in jobs, food security and public confidence in government.
Photograph: DA/Supplied
By: Okuhle Nqana
22 July 2026
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