Picture: The bridge collapsed in Kraaipan during torrential rains/Google
By OBAKENG MAJE
The residents of Kraaipan village, near Mahikeng, said they are happy to see progress in their request to have pedestrian/vehicular bridges in their area. Some of the bridges were destroyed by torrential rains in 2022.
One of the residents, Amogelang Metseyabangwe the collapsed bridges have affected their livelihoods.
“Our livelihoods continue to be affected due to the damaged bridges. We cannot have accessible roads as these bridges link the main road.
“It is difficult for ambulances and other mode of transport to travel to our area. Now, the rainy season is approaching and we are afraid that, there might be a repetition of last year’s turn of events,” he said.
However, Metseyabangwe said, they hope the oversight visit by the North West’s delegation of the permanent delegates to the NCOP will be fruitful.
The North West Provincial Department of Public Works and Roads received an allocation an amount of R130 million from the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as funding for the Welisizwe Rural Bridges, which is aimed at refurbishing pedestrian/vehicular bridges in the communities.
Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality was prioritised due to floods in 2021/22 in the province. The department identified 35 pedestrian bridges and submitted them for refurbishment. Upon assessment by the South African National Defence Force and the Department of Public Works, only 12 pedestrian bridges were selected for construction in the current financial year.
Meanwhile, the Whip of the North West’s permanent delegates to the NCOP, Eric Landsman called on the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) to provide full support to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to ensure that, the district carries on with success with its building plans of pedestrian/vehicular bridges where they are required.
Landsman said the delegation received an update from the provincial department yesterday on the state of roads, refurbishment, and construction plans in place.
“The delegation heard that the process is underway to implement the refurbishment of the six bridges where the SANDF has established sites and has committed to develop an acceleration catch-up plan to deliver the six bridges identified before the end of this year’s second quarter.
“We appreciate the update, in particular the building of a bridge in the Kraaipan village as residents have been calling and waiting for such infrastructural development projects,” he said.
According to the North West Public Works and Roads, the material to build 6 bridges was delivered on 7 September 2023 for construction of the bridges – to create two vehicular bridges in Kraaipan village, two pedestrian bridges in Montshioastad, and one vehicular bridge in Masutlhe village.
The Guardian 