A R10-million Mpame bridge that is set to be unveiled on 05 April 2019 by The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Zweli Mkhize has left South Africans in utter shock. The majority feel that the work was of poor quality and not worth the 10 million rands.
Speaking on the bridge the municipality wrote ” The Minister will be joined by the Provincial and Local Government leadership during his visit conveying a message that affirms a caring government that will stop at nothing to make a lasting difference in the lives of communities.
The Mpame bridge is an important infrastructure for the communities in the various Mbashe villages built by the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) which is a special purpose vehicle established by COGTA to accelerate the delivery and maintenance of infrastructure in Municipalities to enhance better service delivery.
For many years community members who reside on either side of the Mpame bridge had to go through dangerous makeshift means to cross the local river to visit each other, access different community services such as schools, hospitals, clinics, churches and other public amenities. This challenge with Mpame bridge left communities frastrated and in some seasons, this led to fatalities that could have been avoided if infrastructure was in place.
Following these challenges, CoGTA intervened through MISA to construct a bridge that will connect communities in all the eight villages, “Kwa Tshezi, Manzibomvu, Mdikana, Mpame, Mncwasa, Ngileni, Mkhathazo and Manzamnyama” who will now enjoy safe crossing to interact with important government services.
The communities from the eight Mbhashe villages recall terrifying stories of crossing the overflowing river having to take off their clothes which stripped them of their dignity.
The lack of a proper and safe bridge made communities to dread rainy seasons as they feared for their lives when they or their children will be crossing an over flowing river.”
See what social media had to say
Andie Van de Ndev Can u please provide me with details of QS, structural engineer and the Engineer that have approved this shady work please bayafunwa zi council zabo
Lumko Makonza Pictures speaks more than words. May be if one can see the inlet and outlet structures. As of the cost I can’t comment. QS’s is their job. There is nothing wrong to build a cost effective low level bridge, but the monies involved must be aligned to it being low level, to be removed during construction of surfaced road.
Sakumzi Adam ???? My people never fail to disappoint….. What kind of msunery is this now?
Mlungisi Ka Ndamase Tyhini Thixo wamaMpondo, 10million for gravel road?
Temba ThulaSizwe MabhulaNyile KaMagulezinyangaMultimillion Bridge eGcwele uDaka mamaNzi I vulwa Mnxfim siyaqheleka , sifuna iTar Lutubeni to Thafalehashe Zithulele Hospital Kunini safelwa ziiMoto
Where are the Weeping Holes or Channels so that Water doesn’t Flood the Bridge ? I see Mud on this Bridge.
Lindy Faniso I think they made a mistake they were trying to say 10 thousand instead of multimillion
But I am as well of the view that the breakdown analysis of costs it’s required to indeed prove it’s worth 10 Million … it’s not much about this bridge provided the price was deliberately inflated … this couldn’t costs even half of that ten million … this shouldn’t have been exposed here it’s a disgrace …
