Amanzimtoti residents accuse authorities of failing to fix parts of the N2 highway in KZN

Repairs to flood damage at two places on the N2 south of Durban have been delayed since April. Damage to the highway at the llfracombe turn off has been partially fixed. At the Amanzimtoti turn off a section of the road collapsed, leaving only one lane open to Durban-bound traffic.

No work has been done there yet. Locals using the damaged roads say peak-hour traffic is a nightmare. They are dissatisfied with the lack of progress.

Amanzimtoti resident CJ Hove says it is not fair that there has been no word from authorities.

“If you think about it since April, now it is October, since the whole floods, the traffic every single day is absolutely crazy. This is like now if we want to go to work, especially now, you can see that traffic is built up every day back and forth. I live just up the road. I can overlook everything when we look at the freeway itself. It is always backed up with heavy traffic. Going to work and back is a hassle because there is constant traffic. It is just not nice we would like it to be fixed now, how can there be no progress or updates at all, it just not fair,” says one of the Amanzimtoti residents.

In May this year, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula visited the area to inspect the extent of the damage. He vowed that plans were afoot and work would begin soon. However, upon further investigation by Sanral, more meticulous planning was needed in the design of the new road.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula monitor progress of the repair of roads affected by KZN floods

Meanwhile, the National Transport Department says a study needed to be conducted on how to avoid such extensive flood damage on the road in the future. The department’s spokesperson Lwazilwaphesheya Khoza.

“The magnitude of the damage in that particular road is one that was quite great following investigation and study that were done by Sanral. We were able to then ensure that there is going to be rebuilding of that infrastructure, one that can potentially withhold storms of that particular magnitude, also even greater. It needed much more time than what was anticipated to thoroughly study and investigate what it is that led to the infrastructure damage. At this particular point in time, engineers are about to conclude the designs that are necessary to ensure the rebuilding,” explains Khoza.

Residents are now pinning their hopes on the government for the construction to commence before the festive season.