Nearly R1.3 billion has been allocated to repair roads in Limpopo, following the devastating floods that took place in early 2026.
This was revealed during a parliamentary questioning, when Dr Chris Hunsinger, an MP for the Democratic Alliance in the National Assembly, asked the Minister of Transport about the flood damage and maintenance backlogs in Limpopo.
It was noted that the R40 between Mica and Phalaborwa, and the R578 between Makhuva and Phalaborwa were closed after the January 2026 floods.
Hunsinger asked about the budget that has been allocated specifically for flood damage repairs to Limpopo’s national road network, separate from routine maintenance funding.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s department responded that the repairs on national roads in the two districts of Mpoani and Vhembe had an allocated budget of R479,375,978. This amount also covers the repairs along the R524 between Malamulele and Punda Maria.
In March 2026, the Limpopo province reprioritised R500 million for flood-damaged roads. It also received a once-off conditional disaster relief allocation of R803.94 million through the national disaster funding process and the Department of Transport.
These funds are being used for emergency access restoration, road reconstruction, rehabilitation, routine and periodic maintenance, bridge reconstruction, and the deployment of contractors.
Responding to a question about the current status and envisaged reopening date for the R40 and R578, the department noted that a contractor had been given access to both sites on 21 July 2026, and that the repairs are expected to be completed within 12 months.
It also highlighted that Routine Road Maintenance teams have built bypasses for affected communities to allow traffic to pass through the construction zone during the repair period.
Hunsinger also asked about the province’s road repair backlog, noting that the Roads Agency Limpopo has an estimated R14 billion backlog against a R1 billion annual budget.
He asked how Transport Minister Creecy’s department intends to support the provincial road network, given the discrepancy in funding.
The Transport Department said it supports the Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure (DPWRI), and its entity Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) through the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant (PRMG) and on disaster recovery funding.
“It must be noted that PRMG is a supplementary grant. For the current financial year, allocation for the road programme is set at R4.222 billion, with inclusive PRMG allocation of R2.6 billion.”
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