Relief is in sight for residents of Dalton and New Hanover as construction of a detour progresses, following months of disruption caused by the destruction of a key bridge during heavy rains, is under way. The bridge, which connects the two areas, was destroyed last November, forcing motorists and public transport operators to take a lengthy and costly alternative route, via Wartburg. Construction is expected to be completed within a week.
Dalton resident Sandile Sibiya said the closure of the bridge had severely affected the community, with residents having to rely on an informal farm road as a temporary solution. “We used to use a shortcut through one of the farms as a temporary measure, but it is a gravel road. The route via Wartburg takes a lot of time.
It is long and costly. The destruction of the bridge affected us a lot,” said Sibiya. He said the situation worsened during periods of heavy rainfall.
Read Full Article on The Witness
[paywall]
“We are grateful for this detour that is being opened by the uMshwathi Municipality together with the Department of Transport, but we are appealing for the bridge to be fixed so that everything can go back to normal,” he said. uMshwathi Mayor Mandla Zondi said the new route had been arranged in consultation with farm owners and that the detour, which is approximately 700 metres long, will be a gravel road with improved drainage. “We will install pipes to allow water to flow.
The Department of Transport has promised that they will start with the bridge construction this month, and they told us it will take between three and five months to repair the bridge connecting New Hanover and Dalton,” he said. “The community struggled because the distance was much longer than the original road. Even though this will be a gravel road, we appeal to residents to take care of it,” he said. The Department of Transport did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
[/paywall]
