A multimillion-rand road and bridge construction has been halted in Kumani village, at Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. The construction stopped after the contractor was allegedly not paid for months by the provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport. The construction started two years ago.
A road infrastructure project on hold. The bridge is about 80 % complete while the five-kilometre road construction is still at the beginning phase. The road and bridge connect Kumani, Stream and Thulamahashe.
Kumani residents access all their services such as schools, healthcare, shops and other government services in Thulamahashe. The community is not happy.
“When it rains, children can’t go to school because we only have a primary school, people can’t access services, shops and clinics. People have died trying to cross the bridge,” says Hitler Twala, resident.
“When it rains, we have to travel about 30 kilometres and the road is also bad and damaged our vehicles,” says Patrick Ndlovu, resident.
“We have a lot of land through the chief, we were hoping the road will bring development in our community,” says Alfred Dlamini, Community Development Forum.
The project is expected to cost R127 million.
“The contractor will be paid on the 16th of February, and he will be back on the job on Monday,” says Bongani Dhlamini, Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport.
The province has a huge road infrastructure backlog and challenges.
Video: Bushbuckridge multi-million-rand project incomplete
