Hard Hat On, Boots on the Ground: MEC Ernest Rachoene Turns Budget Promises into Progress on D3614

Mpho Dube
May 13
2 min read

Hard hat on, boots on the ground MEC Tonny Rachoene inspects 40% progress on the D3614 road upgrade in Madishaditoro Village, less than 24 hours after tabling Limpopo’s R6.474bn infrastructure plan. From the Legislature to the site - this is #DikgerekgereWednesdays in action. #GrowingLimpopoTogether #ServiceDelivery

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief

The Azanian | Truth. Fearless. Unfiltered.

Madishaditoro Village, Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality– Less than 24 hours after tabling Limpopo’s infrastructure comeback plan, MEC for Public Works, Roads & Infrastructure Tonny Rachoene was back where he works best – on site, in his signature orange and navy workwear, checking delivery himself.

Rachoene led a #ProjectMonitoring visit to the D3614 road upgrade in Madishaditoro Village today, inspecting the 5km project that is now 40% complete. It’s one of 21 road upgrades rolling out across the province as part of the commitments he made in his 2026/27 Budget Vote on Tuesday.

“Development is about people,” Rachoene told the Legislature when he tabled the R6.474 billion budget under the mantra, ‘The heartland of southern Africa – development is about people!’ Today in Madishaditoro, he showed what that looks like in practice.

“This work doesn’t finish itself. I’m here to make sure contractors stick to timelines, quality is not compromised, and our people see real value for every rand spent,” he said on site. “If we want to grow Limpopo, we start by opening up our villages with proper roads.”

The D3614 upgrade is cutting travel time for learners, farmers, and small businesses, and creating jobs for locals during construction. It fits directly into the department’s four-pillar plan: roads infrastructure, functional public buildings, EPWP jobs, and stronger oversight.

Rachoene’s hands-on approach has become his trademark. Known across the province as “MEC Dikgerekgere,” he’s made #DikgerekgereWednesdays a weekly fixture, putting maintenance teams in orange gear on the roads and holding contractors accountable in front of communities.

Under his watch, the department has terminated underperforming contracts, blacklisted non-performers, and secured court rulings to recover state assets.

In the last year alone, the department delivered 64,313 EPWP work opportunities, launched apprenticeships with MERSETA and CETA for 210 young people, and opened key infrastructure like the Steelpoort Bridge through public-private partnerships.

Another 43 road projects – 21 upgrades and 22 rehabilitations – are active across all five districts.

“This is what accountability looks like,” Rachoene said in Madishaditoro. “We don’t make promises and disappear. We monitor, we fix, and we deliver. The people of Limpopo are waiting, and we must deliver.”

The D3614 project is part of government’s push to upgrade rural roads from gravel to tar, improve infrastructure provision, and support economic development in Limpopo’s villages.

#LeaveNoOneBehind #RoadsInfrastructure #GrowingLimpopoTogether #ServiceDelivery #DikgerekgereWednesdays