Pretoria - MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi launched the newly built D1944 road connecting Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga today.
Vadi told excited residents from nearby communities that violent service demonstrations should not take place on the road as it needs to be protected.
The people braved the intense weather and heat to go and witness Vadi and his Tshwane MMC counterpart, Sheila Senkubuge, cut the ribbon to officially open the R158 million road.
The 11.5km road was previously gravel but it’s now expected to boost the country’s economy by enabling efficient transporting of goods and products between the provinces.
Earlier this year, Vadi launched the 17km Road D670 between Bronkhorstspruit and Ekangala in the East of Tshwane after a rehabilitation project.
MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi speaks about the newly built D1944 road. Video: James Mahlokwane
He told Pretoria News that people from communities where these roads with technical names are built, needed to give these roads names because they belonged to them.
“These D and K code names are technical specifications and many people can’t identify with these names.
"They don’t have a clue where they are. You would have seen that a few days ago in the Gauteng legislature, I proposed that 20 major routes should be renamed after prominent politicians, sport people, business leaders and various artists.
Vadi saw the rehabilitation of these major roads as investments that would increase the flow of goods and services to stimulate the local economy and foster social integration.