Note to Editors: Please note Riona Gokool, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) notes with grave concern the extraordinary decision by Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) political leadership, law enforcement and major local Business Associations to reopen the Umzimkhulu River Bridge.
The project, announced in 2025 as a six-month emergency intervention, has now dragged on for almost a year with minimal progress. Reports of stalled work due to contractor non-payment, shifting deadlines and poor oversight confirm that the province’s Department of Transport (DoT) has failed dismally in its basic responsibilities.
When communities are forced to step in and manage critical infrastructure themselves, it is not a solution, it is a complete collapse of governance.
Equally unacceptable is the systematic exclusion of ward councillors and local representatives from meaningful engagement processes. Meetings are postponed, officials fail to attend and communities are left without answers. This is not just poor administration – it is a blatant disregard for accountability and democratic representation.
The economic and social consequences of the ongoing construction delays have been severe. Small businesses are losing income, commuters are stuck in hours of traffic daily and residents are forced to choose between unsafe alternative routes or unaffordable toll roads.
While the DA acknowledges the frustration that has led to the reopening of the bridge, doing so without clear technical assurances raises serious safety concerns. This situation should never have been allowed to reach this point.
The DA, as a partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) continues to call for the following:
• Urgent and decisive action;
• Immediate settlement of all outstanding contractor payments;
• A transparent, publicly available project recovery plan with firm deadlines;
• Inclusion of councillors and stakeholders in all decision-making processes;
• Urgent consideration of toll fee concessions for affected residents; and
• Independent oversight to ensure accountability and prevent further failures.
South Coast residents do not deserve chaos, silence and excuses. They deserve a government that plans, communicates and delivers. The DA will continue to fight to restore accountability and ensure that this critical infrastructure is completed safely and without further delay.