Dear Mayor, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Minister of Transport, SANRAL and relevant authorities,
I write as a small-business owner and member of a South Coast community being pushed to the breaking point by the ongoing Mzimkhulu River bridge crisis.
This is no longer simply an inconvenience – it is an economic crisis.
Small businesses are carrying additional fuel, toll, vehicle maintenance and travel costs because of the closure. The alternative route via Batstone’s Drift is already in poor condition, adding time, kilometres and wear to vehicles.
The approximately R44 daily toll to travel to Port Shepstone and back may seem insignificant, but amounts to hundreds of rand a month before fuel and vehicle costs.
Businesses are losing customers, deliveries are becoming more expensive, working hours are being lost, and employees face reduced hours or retrenchment. Some businesses are simply closing.
Reports indicate repeated delays to the bridge rehabilitation, with contractor-payment problems contributing to stoppages. The latest reported completion target has moved to October 2026.
We urgently request:
*A clear, binding completion timeline.
*An update on outstanding work and delays.
*An explanation of contractor and payment issues.
*A contingency plan if October is missed.
*Urgent toll relief for affected residents and businesses.
*Immediate attention to the Batstone’s Drift route.
*Meaningful engagement with affected businesses.
*Transparency on the R102 rehabilitation and replacement contractor.
The South Coast is home to people who live, work, employ others, pay taxes and build businesses.
We cannot carry the consequences of infrastructure delays indefinitely.
We need answers, accountability and action now.
Yours sincerely,
DENIZE MEYER
A small-business owner
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