
=====================================================================
MEC opens bridge wiped during heavy rains
=====================================================================

Speeches and Media Releases
 Roads and Public Works

[         w



MEDIA RELEASE
 TO ALL MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 13 DECEMBER 2000

MEC OPENS BRIDGE WIPED DURING HEAVY RAINS

Roads and Public Works MEC, Mr Phumulo Masualle, will on Friday (December 15, 2000) officially open the reconstructed bridge on the R61 
road that connects Cofimvaba to Queenstown.

The bridge was wiped off at the beginning of the year when December 1999 to April 2000 summer floods ravaged certain areas in the Eastern 
Cape Province. An amount of R40 million was made available by the National Disaster Management Fund to deal with provinces road network 
that was devastated by floods.

Mr Masualle launched the R40 million emergency road reconstruction programme code named Operation Vulindlela in Ngcobo on October 12, 
2000. Through Operation Vulindlela the R40 million was converted by the department into a sizeable number of projects throughout the 
province.

These projects include:

* Repair to the slip on the R56 (Umzimkulu access) road
* Repair to the slip on the R61 (Umtata-Port St. Johns) road near Ntsimbini location
* Repair to the slip on the Bizana-Port Edward road
* Reconstruction of the totally damaged road between N2 (Mount Frere-Mount Ayliff) and Mvenyane (T015) up to including the bridge structure 
on the road
* Major reconstruction and upgrading work on some roads in the Mount Fletcher area including T077
* Main Road MR409 in the Kliplaat area where a construction of the road is also taking place

Despite the loss of lives that was caused by the washing away of the Cofimvaba Bridge, its closure also affected the general road users, 
service providers as well as commerce. The Cofimvaba route, at the time of the disaster, was being used as an alternative due to 
construction work on the N2 Kei Cuttings. From time to time the N2 had to be closed for blasting.

The effect of the disaster in the province was such that an amount of R484 196 000 was urgently needed to restore roads, both provincial 
and access, and bridges damaged by the storm back to their pre-storm state.

Be that as it may, the department is charged with the mammoth task of maintaining the 38 000km provincial roads network. For the department 
to be able to keep these roads trafficable at all times, a total of about R1 079 500 000 is required annually for the maintenance of these 
roads. This excludes the backlogs that have accumulated for the past five years that presently stands at a figure of R1 650 000 per annum 
to be dealt with over a period of five years.

In grand total therefore, the department for the financial year of 2000/01 needed an amount of R1 367 021 000.00 to deal with the challenge 
of maintaining provincial roads infrastructure.

Ends

Issued by Roads and Public Works Department
 Inquiries: Xolisa Jakuja 0823740042 or 6094447

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Home | About the Eastern Cape | Documents
 Economy | Structures | International Relations | Site Map
 Premier's Office | Speeches & Media Releases | Links
 Top of Page

---------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Eastern Cape

Premier's Office

Structures

Documents

Speeches & Media Releases

International Relations

Economy

Links


