• Six dilapidated bridges and damaged roads present a very real danger
• Loss of life demands urgent intervention by KZN’s Transport department
• DA will not stand by as residents continue to suffer
Note to Editors: Please note Riona Gokool, MPL sound bite in English here
The DA calls on KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Transport (DoT) to urgently prioritise the repair of bridges and a deteriorating road network within eThekwini’s Ward 9.
The call comes after a student tragically lost her life after being swept away while trying to cross a low-lying bridge over the Molweni River during flooding last month. The roads and bridges – which were first damaged during the April 2022 floods – have not yet been repaired despite a high-level government delegation visiting the area at the time.
Their ongoing worsening condition have long a source of frustration for community members – even before the 2022 floods. The impact of this compromised road network has been massive, with learners unable to reach a local school and some residents unable to reach their workplaces.
Following numerous complaints to DA PR Cllr, Vincent Mkhize, the DA conducted its own oversight inspection last week. What we found poses a serious threat to the lives of community members. (view here, here and here)
Ward 9’s deteriorating roads are not a political issue – they are a matter of public safety, of protecting residents, and of ensuring the continued prosperity of our communities.
The question is: What will it take before the DoT finally addresses these death trap roads and bridges? The longer these repairs wait, the more dangerous both the roads and bridges will become and the more it will cost to repair them.
Regrettably, the DoT’s failure to act in Ward 9 is not an isolated incident. The lack of proper road and other transport-related infrastructure maintenance is wide-spread across our province, ultimately hindering economic progress and endangering lives.
KZN’s transport network is not just for convenience, it is a vital infrastructure. Our roads and bridges are lifelines that connect communities, ensure safety, and fuel our economy. Yet conditions in general are appalling with potholes and cracks becoming permanent fixtures, creating hazards and even death for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
The DA will not stand by while KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma and his department continue to make excuses. It is their job to ensure that our province’s road infrastructure is safe and maintained. We expect the DoT to provide a clear timeline for the Ward 9 repairs and to commit to a plan of action to prevent such neglect in future.
As part of KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) the DA will continue to hold KZN’s DoT to account for its failure to deliver safe roads and secure bridges. The residents of Ward 9 deserve better.