{"id":788746,"date":"2024-08-30T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=788746"},"modified":"2024-08-30T15:34:19","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T13:34:19","slug":"south-africas-r5-7-billion-mega-bridges-coming-soon-beating-mafia-delays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/788746\/south-africas-r5-7-billion-mega-bridges-coming-soon-beating-mafia-delays\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa’s R5.7 billion mega-bridges coming soon – beating mafia delays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If timelines are met and all goes to plan, South Africa will see two new multi-billion rand mega-bridges opened over the next several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on 28 August, Eastern Cape MEC Ntandokazi Capa gave an update on the construction of the Mtentu and Msikaba bridges “that will be a game changer for the province” \u2013 which have a combined project value of R5.7 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mega-bridges are part of the R20-billion N2 Wild Coast Road Project led by SANRAL, which consists of seven multi-billion rand road projects that connect four provinces, namely the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new route will be 69km and 85km shorter than the current N2 and R61 routes, respectively. Due to its shorter and flatter path, it will save 1.5 to 3 hours of travel time for light and heavy freight vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the projects were awarded in 2019, issues, including construction mafias on the multi-billion rand project, have caused numerous delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“These bridges are now being constructed in partnership with the South African National Defence Force,” and the province is convinced that this intervention will mean that they can go full-steam ahead without further delays, said Capa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Msikaba Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Rendering the Msikaba Bridge. Image: Smec<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Msikaba Bridge is currently under construction, and will span the Msikaba River, near Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Started in 2019 and expected to be completed in 2025, it has a project value of R1.75 billion and is being constructed by the CME JV, a partnership between Concor and MECSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Eastern Cape provincial government, the socio-economic benifets of the project are that of the inclusion of 157 local SMMEs, creating just under 592 jobs and having over 700 locals benefitting from skills development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will have a 580-metre deck span and will span over the 198-meter-deep Msikaba river gorge, meaning that the structure will be the longest cable-stayed bridge on the continent, in terms of main span. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will have the second-longest main span of any bridge in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, it also ranks as one of the highest bridges in Africa, only exceeded by the Bloukrans bridge, also in South Africa, and will soon be surpassed by the Mtentu bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We believe that [this record] will enable tourism in the province,” said Capa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe last two years have been spent completing the four 21 000-ton anchor blocks and progressing the elegant bridge pylons on each side of the gorge,\u201d said Concor project director Laurence Savage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are now entering some exciting but technically challenging phases.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savage stressed that the project is one of great magnitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bridge features two inverted Y-shaped concrete pylons, each with a tall cylindrical spire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On completion, the pylons on either side of the 580m gorge will stand at a staggering 128 meters and have 17 pairs of main stay cables and back stay cables anchored to them.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Rendering of the Msikaba Bridge. Image: Smec<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Construction of the Msikaba bridge. Photo: Smec<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Mtentu Bridge <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Artist impression of Mtentu bridge. Image: Mota-Engil Construction South Africa <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Mtentu Bridge, now with a project value of R4.05 billion, will run across the Mtentu River in Mbizana in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Municipality, Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once completed in 2027 (if all goes according to plan), it will be the highest in Africa and one of the longest main-span balanced cantilever bridges in the world, with a main span of 260 meters and a maximum height of around 223 metres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mtentu Bridge has faced various difficulties since its announcement. The company responsible for building the then R1.6-billion structure, Aveng Strabag joint venture (JV), walked out on the project in early 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Due to issues of construction mafia, the project collapsed and the contractor left the site,” explained Capa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contract, which has now escalated to over R4 billion, was then awarded to the China Communications Construction Company and Mota-Engil Construction South Africa in a joint venture back in November 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The construction restarted on August 5, 2023, and has an expected conclusion date of the end of 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capa said that the ballooning costs is yet another piece of evidence as to why the state needs to effectively and decisively deal with the construction mafia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criminal mafias standing in the way of South Africa’s big turnaround<\/a><\/blockquote>