Still no construction activity at M4 bridge

With less than a week to go before toll fees are reinstated at the uThongathi and uMvoti toll plazas on February 1, there is still no visible progress in terms of repair work at the M4 Tongaat River bridge.

KwaDukuza municipal spokesperson Sipho Mkhize said they were mostly left in the dark regarding repair work plans by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral), and could not confirm whether North Coast roads damaged during the April and May floods were on track for final repair.

Mkhize said the municipality were concerned about the resumption of toll fees and the subsequent impact increased traffic would have on already damaged roads, especially the R102 and R103, where repairs are yet to be completed.

Last Thursday KDM mayor Lindile Nhaca rejected the reinstatement of toll fees at uMvoti.

Addressing last Thursday’s council meeting, Nhaca called Sanral’s decision hasty, saying it would put unnecessary pressure on provincial roads yet to be repaired by the Department of Transport.

“While we appreciate the significant progress achieved on the M4 in easing the congestion that was experienced at the aftermath of the floods, we equally wish to extend our concern about the hasty consideration to reinstate the payment of toll fees at uMvoti Toll Plaza in the knowledge that the alternative route (R102) linking KwaDukuza and eThekwini has not yet been fully repaired,” she said.

Mkhize said they could not challenge toll fees at the uThongathi Toll Plaza because it fell outside KwaDukuza’s jurisdiction.

Sanral confirmed that both toll ramps on the northern side of the N2 at uThongathi would remain suspended until such time that access across the M4 Tongaat River bridge has been restored.

Sanral continues to say the opening of this bridge is ‘imminent’, but another site inspection by the Courier on Monday still showed no construction work in progress.

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