WATCH: Motorists happy N2’s Ezimbokodweni River bridge is officially open
The second phase of repairs is due to start by late January 2025.
The southbound lane of the Ezimbokodweni River bridge on the N2, near Amanzimtoti in KZN has been re-opened to traffic as of today (November 21).
The first phase of repairs to the bridge are now complete, after it was closed due to damage.
The bridge was closed on November 4, after damage to some of its bearings, in particular, the concrete rocker bearings supporting the fourth span of the southbound bridge.
President Cyril Ramaphosa inspected the damage to the bridge on November 8 and was briefed by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa and South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited’s (Sanral) CEO Reginald Demana.
@southcoastherald WATCH | The southbound lane of the Ezimbokodweni River bridge on the N2, near Amanzimtoti in KZN has been re-opened to traffic as of today (November 21). . #Bridge #n2 #kzn #travel
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The first phase of repairs entailed the replacement of the failed concrete bearings with structural steel bearings.
This will allow the opening of the bridge to normal traffic including heavy vehicles for the December to January period. However, the movement of abnormal loads and super loads over that bridge will be restricted for that period, in line with recommendations from the technical report certifying the repairs.
The second phase of repairs is due to start by late January 2025 and will entail the replacement of all the bearings of the same design on the southbound bridge as a proactive precautionary measure. This work will be undertaken with minimal disturbance to traffic, using traffic accommodation measures that are already being implemented on the rest of the N2 and N3 upgrade projects.
Demana said he was happy with the speed with which the roads agency has effected the repairs, saying that it was a priority to ensure that the bridge was operational before the start of the holiday season because of the importance of the N2.
“The reopening of the Ezimbokodweni River bridge ahead of the festive season is very positive and significant for road users,” said Demana.
“This demonstrates Sanral’s commitment to delivering on what we had promised President Ramaphosa and our Minister when they visited the bridge about two weeks ago. Ultimately, it shows that Sanral is determined to ensure that people who use that important route to go home for Christmas and holidaymakers alike are now able to use the N2 with minimal disruption. It is also one of our country’s most important corridors for the movement of goods on the south coast of KZN and between KZN and the Eastern Cape,” he said.
The contract for the upgrade of the N2 between Moss Kolnick Drive and Isipingo to a four- or five-lane carriageway is already in the procurement stage and is expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2025. The project will include the upgrading and modernising of the bridge structure.
*Side Note: According to Wikipedia: ‘Umbogintwini’ is the corrupted version of the Zulu word Mbokodweni or eZimbokodweni meaning “river where round stones are collected” which is named after the uMbokodweni River on which it lies on. The name ‘Umbogintwini’ itself is too long for many residents and thus today the suburb is commonly referred to as the shortened version of the name which is ‘Twini’ or even sometimes ‘MBog’.
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