bridge reconstruction after last year floods
By Joseph Chirume
Kariega -Kwanobuhle
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) is on track to complete the reconstruction of two bridges in KwaNobuhle by October this year. The bridges were destroyed by historic floods that ravaged the region in June 2024.
Not only did the floods damage the bridges, but they also washed away several riverine pillars and side embankments that were used to prevent soil erosion and runoff on the riverbanks.
Two severely damaged bridges near Matanzima/Ponana and Nomekwezana Road intersections are currently undergoing major reconstruction. “Since work began on 12 May 2025, progress has steadily moved to 20%, with completion anticipated by the end of October 2025,” said NMBM in a statement.
The devastating floods almost brought business, schooling and other daily activities to a halt after the main road connecting KwaNobuhle and Kariega was cut off due to the collapsed bridges. This prompted the Municipality to divert traffic to other less congested roads, but much to the anger of residents of those areas who, for the first time, had to bear the brunt of traffic congestion in their locality.
There has been a fierce debate about why the area was badly hit by the floods. Some people attribute the disaster to poor maintenance of storm water drains, but government officials rebutted this angle as they flatly blamed the effects of climate change.
A community activist who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Eastern Cape Messenger, “While climate change could have played a minor role, the main cause was poor maintenance of storm water drains. The Municipality last cleaned these clogged drains long ago.
“It is also wrong for the municipality to accuse residents of throwing or dumping litter in open spaces because there are no public dumping areas in the area. People end up dumping everywhere out of no choice and the bargain ends up overwhelming drains.
“The Municipality should provide residents with dumping grounds, and it should also clean the drains often.”
However, it seems peace is on the horizon following a recent announcement by the Municipality that progress was on track to complete reconstruction of the bridges by October this year. This is also good news for patients of the Laetitia Bam Day clinic that was temporarily closed because of the disaster.
The municipality highlighted progress that has been made so far, stating that the riverbed had been cleared of debris and vegetation. The damaged approach slab was removed and cracks on the abutments were repaired. The municipality also said temporary access roads were built while the river was diverted to pave way for construction, with damaged floor slabs being demolished and gabion protection installation being in progress.
NMB said there was a total project budget of a little more than R83 million, with 17% of it having already been invested in bringing these structures back to life.
The Municipality said in a statement, “Approximately 39 SMME contractors will benefit by an estimated amount of over R26 million. “This is more than just construction; it’s a commitment to safety, mobility, and resilience for our communities.”
A longtime resident of KwaNobuhle, Nokwanda Myeni, said she was fascinated with the progress and could not wait for the day the road would be officially opened for traffic.
“It’s been a punishment for us residents of KwaNobuhle, because this has inconvenienced us because taxis were taking a long route. We desperately need the bridge to be fully completed.”
