Taxi driver washed away by river

Lolo Madonsela

The community of Ward 17, Mvuzini near eMondlo is livid, following the death of a taxi driver who was washed away with his taxi on Saturday night.
According to the residents, they have been pleading with their councillor and the municipality to build a bridge over the Mvuzini River, due to the number of lives it has claimed.
“This is not the first incident; last year, two elderly women were washed away in that river and now this taxi driver. Even though those he was with managed to swim out, he could not. One death is too many. We have been appealing for a bridge but nothing has been done,” said resident, Ntobeko Mthembu.
School children have to cross the same river to get to school and the community fears for their lives whenever it rains.

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“Our children cross that river every day when going to school; it is not just high school kids, even primary school children cross
there on their own. It is not safe at all. Some mothers carry their kids on their backs to help them cross every morning, but who helps them in the afternoon, as the parents are still at work when children come back from the school? We are losing lives because of that river,” said Mthembu.
Mthembu’s words were echoed by Ward Councillor, Tholile Khumalo, who agreed there was a need for a bridge and a road.
“I have been given the runaround for a while now. I started requesting for the bridge way before I became a councillor, since
2014 when I was still a member of steering committee and we never received it. Luckily, I have now managed to speak to the Minister
of Transport, Fikile Mbalula and he has assured me the construction of both the bridge and road will commence soon and that
he will come visit the area.”
She further stated that according the information at her disposal, the bridge was budgeted for and approved last year April.
However, nothing was ever communicated to her or the community. “I know there is a long list of bridges that need to be built, but my ward should take priority as there have been lives lost already and we do not know how many we are still going to lose. One lost life is one too many.”
Cllr Khumalo added she was in talks with the Minister on plans to assist with the taxi driver’s burial.
“We are making plans on what it is we can do in terms of helping with funeral plans. I am getting a lot of support and assistance from my ANC region, Mzala Nxumalo,” added Cllr Khumalo.
In 2014, the Ward 17 Task Team wrote an application letter for the installation of two causeways at Mchinswane and Mvuzini/ Mvunyane Rivers at 1954 Road, from eMondlo Township to Nceceni Village.
The road links three communities from eMondlo: Nceceni, Machanca and Mvuzini.
These communities make use of clinics and high schools in eMondlo and people from these areas are employed in eMondlo,
Vryheid and Nquthu, while the elderly get their pension grant in eMondlo.
Residents said it became difficult to access any services after heavy rains, as it proved risky and at times impossible to cross these rivers. However, that application has not borne any fruit so far.

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