South Africa’s new R4 billion bridge – set to be the tallest in Africa

Progress is being made at the R4.05 billion Mtentu Bridge in the Eastern Cape, which is set to be the tallest bridge in the country.

A delegation featuring Eastern Cape MEC for Transport Xolile Nqathad and the N2 Wild Coast Road Political Oversight Committee (POC) visited the Mtentu Bridge construction site after the contract was re-awarded in late 2022.

“Our visit forms part of the work of the Political Oversight Committee to monitor how the work is progressing, and we are happy with the report received from SANRAL and the progress we have seen on site, particularly with the previous stop-and-start on the Mtentu contract,” said Nqatha.

He was pleased with the appointment of a new contractor, as community projects, job creation, small contractor development, and more work were in the pipeline.

“Grade 1 contractors will grow to higher grades by the end of this contract. That is development in the true sense. We greatly appreciate the leadership role played by SANRAL for putting us where we are now, and we say big up to the leadership of SANRAL, the Board and the Regional Manager,” said Nqatha.

The project has spent R250 million since breaking ground in 2023, employing 248 local labourers.

Construction of the connecting the Mtentu Bridge and Msikaba Bridge is also commencing well, with 445 job opportunities created and 41 targeted enterprise subcontracted thus far.

The Mtentu Bridge is set to be the highest bridge in Africa, with a maximum height of about 223 metres.

It will also be one of the longest main-span balanced cantilever bridges globally, with a main span of 260 metres.

The bridge forms part of Sanral’s N2 Wild Cost Road (N2WCR) programme, which includes a 410km stretch of road from East London to the Mtamvuna River on the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal border.

The POC also received an in-depth report on the various projects that form within the N2WCR.

The report stated that R665.6 million had been spent on the Msikaba Bridge contract, with 48 service providers and 61 subcontractors participating.

Moreover, SANRAL is also making headway in other parts of the N2WCR.

“In August, we were able to finally announce the imminent construction of the N2WCR Section 20 between the Lingeni Intersection (km 15.40) and the Msikaba Bridge (km 33.02), valued at R2.2 billion, which will begin in early 2025,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s Regional Manager for the Southern Region.

“This contract was delayed by litigation after we awarded it in 2023.” He noted that the stretch of road is set to produce another 400 job opportunities.

Larger expansions

SANRAL also plans a host of other projects for South Africa. The group is set to inject roughly R50 billion into the economy during the 2024/25 financial year via several road project tenders.

Earlier this week, in September 2024, SANRAL said that it is currently evaluating 96 tenders worth R35 billion, while 86 contracts worth R15 billion have already been awarded since the start of the 2024/25 financial year on 1 April 2024.

The tenders currently in evaluation are:

• 34 tenders in the Northern Region (Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga) worth R16.5 billion;
• 24 tenders in the Southern Region (Eastern Cape) worth R3.8 billion;
• 12 tenders in the Western Region (Western Cape and Northern Cape) worth R2 billion;
• 12 tenders in the Eastern Region (KwaZulu-Natal and Free State) worth R11.7 billion; and
• 14 tenders at Head Office, worth R839 million.

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