Source: Supplied.
The two bridges, repaired at a cost of R89m, were reopened this week during a ceremony attended by about 200 residents, as well as Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and other officials. On Thursday, eight cows and 15 sheep were slaughtered for the opening by the Uitenhage and District Taxi Association (UDTA).
The bridges were damaged in heavy rainfall and floods in June 2024 and again in October.
Earlier this year, the taxi association and drivers blocked roads to demand that the collapsed Matanzima bridge be reopened. Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said at the time that the repairs would take nine to twelve months to complete. The repairs were completed months earlier than expected.
During the repairs, motorists and taxis were forced to use smaller, pothole-ridden sideroads through surrounding communities.
Mayor Lobishe told attendees: “Some people are there to criticise us. We are also happy that critics have managed to put us in the spotlight so that when today comes, we are also in the same spotlight for goodness. We’ve done so under tremendous pressure.” She said she expects the new bridges to last 50 years.
She added that a further R53m has been allocated to fix infrastructure across the metro. “We were not able to fix houses that have been hit by disaster because the housing is not with the municipality.”
UDTA spokesperson Lubabalo Vesele said: “Our taxis used to use very small streets. Now, as we are going to use the bridges and are free from fixing vehicles due to potholes in those small streets. Our taxis won’t be damaged anymore.”
Published originally on GroundUp.
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