By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure announced a budget of R3.3 billion to construct bridges in rural areas over the next three years.
The department said it would be building 134 bridges through the Welisizwe Bridges Construction Project, which would be carried out in six provinces.
Minister Sihle Zikalala made the announcement during the launch of Welisizwe bridges construction project on Friday.
The Welisizwe bridges project is a government initiative aimed at addressing the backlog of bridges infrastructure in rural and disadvantaged communities.
The bridges will improve communities’ access to health facilities, schools and economic amenities.
The project involves the Public Works and Infrastructure Department, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and provincial Transport Departments.
Zikalala said R1.1 billion will be spent per year in the Eastern Cape – which is the pilot for Welisizwe Bridges Programme, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West.
The programme targets rural provinces where there is a backlog in the construction of bridges and a threat of life during rainy seasons.
“Welisizwe Bridges not only makes access possible to many communities, but also is labour intensive, creating a number of working opportunities through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
“A number of skills like welding, ground work and soil retention are transferred to the workers. Each bridge site has seven SANDF members who oversee all the projects, five artisans and 40 EPWP workers,” Zikalala said.
The Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme was initiated to respond to emergency situations in relation to river-crossings. In 2020, Cabinet supported the Welisizwe Implementation Model.
The programme was gazetted in July 2020 as Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) No 25 as part of the Infrastructure Development Stimulus Package to boost the economy.