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KZN faces R2 billion ‘bridges to schools’ project

More than 400 bridges that will link communities and schools need to be built across the province, according to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport.

Kwanele Ncalane, the department’s spokesperson, said it would cost the department about R2 billion to build 417 bridges. Ncalane spoke to The Mercury following a report in the newspaper about the desperate plight faced by pupils at Ekhamanzi School in Greytown. The pupils have to wade through knee-deep water to get to school and whenever it rains heavily they cannot attend classes.

Many pupils almost did not write their exams following heavy rains in December because the river was overflowing, which made crossing the raging waters dangerous. “We have done assessment of the needs in (Ekhamanzi School) and we have built a road, however there was still the issue of a pedestrian crossing,” Ncalane said. He said it was difficult to say exactly when the bridge would be built, citing delays often experienced with tender processes, including tenders being blocked by losing bidders, which pushes back the start of projects.

He said this financial year the department had budgeted to build about 13 pedestrian crossing bridges and seven motor vehicle crossings. He said in the past five years the department had built about 84 bridges. “We must state that the topography of KwaZulu-Natal poses a serious challenge, the rivers and the mountains are a challenge. We are working and we are prioritising all the areas that connect with schools and connect communities with their needed amenities,” he said.

Ncalane said the department was, however, looking to make an arrangement with the SANDF to use defence force engineers to do some of the work, saying the procurement process was much easier when it involved the government. He said that together with the Department of Education they had made significant strides in ensuring that pupils had access to education. He said daily they transported about 52000 pupils to and from school through the pupil bus transport system, and each year handed out 3000 bicycles to pupils, especially to those who live in rural areas and about 3km away from the nearest school.

IFP KZN spokesperson Ncamisile Nkwanyana said one school in desperate need of a bridge was Mahlokwe High School in the Harry Gwala District in Underberg. She said the pupils travelled long distances. “If the streams and rivers are overflowing they are unable to attend school” Nkwanyana said. The school also had poor results because it was unable to attract and retain teachers.

Source: www.iol.co.za

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KZN faces R2 billion ‘bridges to schools’ project

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