A lack of proper road infrastructure, especially bridges, in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape remains a concern to the communities who live there. This issue also has serious consequences.
Last week, two high school learners from Tsolo: 17-year-old Lutho Khuzani and 14-year-old Chulumanco Shumane were swept away while trying to cross the flooded Mapolisa River.
Chulumanco’s grandfather, Mdumisemi Shumane, says the bridge was poorly constructed.
“As a family, we are not happy about what had happened. We would like the government to build us a bridge. We don’t want this one to be maintained we want a new one with pillars. This one had pipes which is the reason why these children were swept away. Government must help us and build a bridge plus our road,” says Shumane.
Provincial Transport Department spokesperson, Unathi Binqose says they are working with role players to address the problem.
“We have to admit that there are challenges regarding bridges in the province and we are attending to them. We understand that a lot of them belong to our local government sphere and we are working with them. Also, there is a national intervention, remember that the president in his national address promised to build 95 bridges across the country and we as the province of the Eastern Cape have submitted areas that are in dire need of those bridges,” says Binqose.
Residents raise concern over lack of proper infrastructure:
