Durban - While KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala monitors the progress on the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged by floods in the province, the Shallcross community are left without an access route after a bridge was washed away.
The bridge linking Shallcross and Blundell Road washed away when debris lodged against the bridge prevented the Mhlatuzana River water from flowing downstream.
The blockage caused the water to split and divert to the side and washed away part of the road.
Concerned residents of Shallcross and Chatsworth formed the Pompeni River Bridge Project Team to drive an initiative to have the project expedited.
A spokesperson for the team, Marcus Richards, said they have a short-term solution, and that would be to clean up, backfill, roll and compact the road, which they estimate would take three weeks to a month. A long-term solution, he said, was for a newly designed bridge.
Resident Kader Goolam decided to set up a team to look at the urgent need to fast-track restoration and rebuilding of the bridge.
Goolam said he was concerned about the safety of residents who had to now look for alternative routes, one of which proved dangerous. Goolam and his team have been on site for a week. He said the bridge had washed away on three previous occasions due to floods and that a newly designed bridge will save ratepayers going forward.
“We met last week and formalised a committee of 10. We also engaged the services of private bridge and geotechnical engineers to advise and consult with us, while our councillor, Chris van den Berg, set up a meeting with us and city engineers,” Richards said.
“To fast track the process, we, together with our generous sponsors and supporters, will, at our cost, begin to start removing the debris on the bridge. This will cut short the time frame on actual work to restore the bridge,” said Richards.
The floods destroyed homes and damaged infrastructure, also claimed the lives of 435 people. An estimated 17 438 households were damaged.
Meanwhile, Zikalala will be accompanied on Tuesday by the MEC of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Peggy Nkonyeni and eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, to monitor the progress on the rehabilitation of the N2 northbound between Ilfracombe and Umgababa after sections of the road collapsed due to the floods.
Daily News