R197m Gauteng roads project, which ballooned by R30m, lies 'abandoned'

The eyesore of growing weeds amid a pile of rubbish is all the Gauteng government has to show after a R197 million road refurbishment tender, which ballooned by nearly R30 million, was "abandoned".

In April 2019, Gauteng's roads and transportation department published a tender to upgrade Beyers Naudé Drive in Randburg, Johannesburg. This project would have widened the pothole-riddled narrow stretch of road in the bustling Honeydew section of the long route that has single lanes each way, causing congestion and heavy traffic during peak and off-peak hours alike. 

According to the board detailing the road development project, the provincial government was supposed to refurbish around 4.8km of Beyers Naudé Drive, creating additional lanes to ease the traffic congestion.