Eyebrows raised over R5m spent on Phalaborwa bridge
Community members and the DA have raised concerns over the cost and structure of the Humulani bridge that was recently unveiled.
Questions have been asked about the cost and structure of a access bridge, which cost R5m to build, in Phalaborwa.
Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality posted photos on its official Facebook page when the Humulani bridge was recently officially opened, but this has lead to an outcry from the community.
Community members commented with disbelief on the post, saying the price of the gravel bridge (that allows access between the two villages of Humulani and Majeje) was inflated, and that it would be washed away by December.
Safety concerns raised
The DA in the province stated that Mayor Merriam Malatj prematurely handed over the bridge without conducting a high-risk assessment. The party said the bridge is too low to allow for water to flow without obstruction during the rainy season and will result in flooding.
“The bridge is also not tarred to protect the structure, and safety barriers are not high or strong enough to prevent vehicles from plunging into the river. This bridge is a disaster waiting to happen,” said DA councillor Bilias Ramothwalo.
According to Polokwane Weekly, this bridge was handed over by the Mayor of Phalaborwa in Limpopo today. The municipality spent R5 million to build it. pic.twitter.com/KZbKj7yhAi
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 8, 2024
Ramothwala stated the ‘premature handover’ by the mayor was to appease the community before the upcoming elections.
“We believe that the project cost was inflated to show a 100% spending of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant by the municipality for the 2023/24 financial year.”
The DA said it would submit detailed questions on this project, including costs, scope, the capability of both the contractor and the technical manager to oversee projects, and the reasons why the mayor handed over the project contrary to the council’s recommendations.
‘Nothing wrong’ – municipality
Municipal spokesperson Jonas Mahesu told the Letaba Herald that ‘there is nothing wrong’ with the bridge and that municipality’s technical team gave the go-ahead for the mayor to open it to the public. He said the cost of the bridge was calculated by consulting engineers and not the municipality.
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