N2 Umhlali bridge could be repaired by early 2023

Repairs on the N2 bridge at Umhlali will begin in October and take an estimated three months and R36-million to complete.

This was revealed by Mabuyi Mhlanga, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) N2 programme manager, during an oversight visit last week.

The road is one of the main arterials in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and links much of northern KZN to the business hubs in the south.

Since the damage caused by the floods in April and May, the highway has been reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction when crossing the bridge.

Aside from the traffic bottlenecks this has caused, multiple accidents have also been recorded where the road narrows, indicating the crucial need for swift action.

Responding in part to public criticism over the delay of repairs, Mhlanga said the protocols required for major work funded by government was typically a four-month process.

“It’s not a lack of technical expertise or a lack of teams in place. We are bound by statutory hoops through which we have to jump. These are necessary to ensure no shortcuts are taken when completing the work,” said Mhlanga.

A similar scenario applies regarding temporary access planned for the M4 bridge at Tongaat. Construction there is also expected to begin next month, with hopes that the road will be open before the peak holiday season in December.

The permanent repair of the bridge is expected to cost R60-million, with the completion date scheduled for October next year.

Neither of these roads were the focus of the oversight visit last Thursday, however.

Hosted by the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, the visit dealt with the repairs undertaken by the private sector on the R102 at Compensation and P103 near Driefontein.

Representatives from Sanral, the Transport department and KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) were invited to visit the sites.

“We wanted to indicate by way of the on-site visit just how much the community has felt the effects of the floods,” said iLembe Chamber president, Andy Horton.

Both roads now have temporary access after the private sector rallied to make repairs, with combined costs reaching more than R600 000. It is not yet clear whether they will be reimbursed.

KwaDukuza mayor, Lindile Nhaca, praised the business sector for its swift action and promised to lobby Transport MEC Sipho Hlomuka and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula for permanent solutions at both locations.

“The work we observed today brings hope not only to me, but the entire community of KwaDukuza in the knowledge that government and the private sector are genuinely working together towards a common purpose,” she said.

Preliminary stages of the permanent repair process at both roads is underway.

MORE ON THIS

• [WATCH] Northbound N2 closed at uMhlali River overpass, traffic piles up between Salt Rock and Tinley Manor [Road Closures]
• Road upgrade crucial to alleviate N2 traffic congestion at Umhlali River bridge
• Taxi rolls on N2 at Umhlali River bridge, injuring 13
• M4 temporary bridge imminent but department mum on N2 Umhlali bridge

The R102 at Compensation is expected to take six months to complete at a cost of R30-million, with the P103 at Driefontein currently in the consulting phase.

Elsewhere on the R102, permanent repair at the Etete bridge is expected to take six months at a cost of R10-million. Temporary access has been completed.

With work soon to begin, iLembe Chamber CEO Cobus Oelofse reiterated the need for expedited repairs given the cost to local business.

“This is the third year in a row we face without a normal December holiday period. It is crucial that North Coast access is a priority,” he said.

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