Mzimkhulu River bridge closure creates crisis for South Coast
A year of delays, silence and unpaid contractors leaves the South Coast gridlocked - with jobs, businesses and commuters paying the price.
In an unexpected twist, the Mzimkhulu River bridge on the R102 in Port Shepstone was shut again last Sunday afternoon – severing the South Coast’s vital lifeline without warning.
By Monday morning (March 2), chaos reigned. Motorists were forced to make U-turns at the closure point, compounding congestion and confusion. Those diverting via Batstone’s Drift bridge reported further frustration, claiming no law enforcement officers were present to manage traffic flow. Travellers opting for the N2 were hit with increased toll tariffs that came into effect on March 1 – adding financial strain to an already costly commute.
An accident was reported on the closed bridge when an Ugu bus attempting a U-turn allegedly collided with a road worker’s bakkie. Details remain unconfirmed.
Then came the silence.
Neither the national nor the KZN Department of Transport (DoT) has issued a clear public update. A high-level project management meeting scheduled for March 2, to address the unprecedented closure did not convene due to “unforeseen circumstances”. No explanation followed.
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) confirmed that Mayor Zodwa Mzindle remains in ongoing discussions with the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, in an effort to secure urgent intervention.
RNM attributed the sudden shutdown to non-payment. The traffic management service provider on site has allegedly not been paid by the main contractor, who is awaiting funds from the DoT. The delay stems from outstanding transfers from KZN Provincial Treasury to the DoT. As a result, the main contractor suspended work and the traffic management company closed the bridge on safety grounds.
The department has indicated that five payments are being processed and should reflect in the contractor’s bank account shortly. However, Treasury spokesperson Nkosikhona Duma distanced the department from responsibility, stating it did not commission the contractor and bears no liability for payment delays.
Meanwhile, frustration is boiling over. Speculation around tender corruption and mismanagement is rife. Businesses are buckling. What was once a 10-minute trip now takes up to an hour in gridlocked traffic.
March marks a year since repairs began on the 67-year-old bridge.
Harbourview Spar’s Barry van Wyk and Pick n Pay’s Robert Speranza say turnover is down in double digits. Staff have been placed on short time and vacancies remain frozen. More than 200 jobs hang in the balance.
For the South Coast, the bridge crisis is no longer an inconvenience, it is economic suffocation.
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