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. 

Official provincial government documents seen by News24 show that the tender was only awarded in April last year for more than R197-million to GMK Civils, which had initially bid R168.9-million when the open process closed in May 2021.

The internal notes show that nine construction companies had lower price bids than GMK Civils' R197.4-million successful offering, with two of the nine bidding firms tendering lower than GMK Civils' initial R168.9-million. 

The government papers stated that massive development would be done to fix the road, including "demolishing of boundary walls and construction of new boundary walls". 

"[The] removing and reinstating of existing walls, concrete and palisade fencing, installation of new diamond mesh, electrical barbed wire and steel fencing, stormwater drainage, kerbing, paved sidewalks, construction of bulk earthworks, layer works, construction of a double-carriage way, road markings, and lighting along 4.8km of road," reads the project's specifications.   

However, when News24 visited the site last week – more than 31 months after the contract was issued – growing weeds, piles of dirt and choking dust existed alongside rusting construction signs and plastic barricades as the only visible indication that Gauteng was meant to develop the area.

No visible construction vehicles, materials, or workers showed that any work was underway and the project was progressing.  

ActionSA Gauteng leader Funzi Ngobeni – in an interview with News24 – said he wrote to Premier Panyaza Lesufi on 27 October to find out why the project was "abandoned", but had not received answers. Ngobeni produced the letter he sent to Lesufi, where the premier was asked when the project would resume, and why it had stopped suddenly. 

News24 sent detailed questions to Lesufi's spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, who, during a curt telephone conversation, said: "Please direct your enquiry to the [Department of] Roads and Transport".

Gauteng roads and transport departmental spokesperson Lesiba Mpya has yet to respond to emailed questions or phone calls requesting comment. 

Ngobeni, meanwhile, said the project had been "stagnant" since July, when the material was delivered more than a year after the contract awarding.

"It should not take five years to upgrade a road, especially with access to the necessary resources and skills to ensure that the project is adequately and timely built. Furthermore, this is an inconvenience for the businesses that operate and residents that travel on that road," he said.

Hawkers and taxi operators who News24 spoke to at the nearby taxi rank echoed his views, all saying that the suffocating dust was a pain to contend with. 

One hawker close to the site – who asked to remain anonymous – said the rubble strewn near his stand was an inconvenience, especially on windy days. 

"It is better now because the rains helped settle the dust. But it gets really bad on dry, windy days, especially for us who sell food to taxi commuters and workers at the nearby industrial firms."

A taxi driver, who also spoke on condition of anonymity,  said he wished the project would start and finish because "it will open the road for us and cut down the amount of traffic and travel time for us." 

"The project is a good idea and will help us as drivers because the quicker we cover our routes, the more commission we will get. But since the project has been abandoned like this, I've lost hope, to be honest, that we will see completion soon."