Cape Town – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has closed the N2 southbound lane after the Umbongintwini River Bridge partially collapsed due to ongoing heavy rain.
A team from the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is assessing the damage, while traffic is diverted to local roads.
“Right now, what we are doing, we brought our structural engineers who are our specialist in this region, to do the assessment so that we can see a way forward whether it’s really what we are suspecting or whether it’s a bigger problem all the way to the foundation.
N2 bridge is collapsing –
Durban… pic.twitter.com/4992JKA7HI— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) November 5, 2024
“At the moment it’s a bit premature because there could be two scenarios, it’s the pier itself from the foundation has settled which is a bigger problem which will take longer to fix but if it’s just a bearing under the bridge itself. There are bearings that is holding the bridge. So, if it’s just the bearings it’s a quicker fix but still it will take some science into it to fix. So, I’m just waiting for full assessment from our specialist and then we take it from there,” SABC quoted SANRAL’s Trevor Zumani as saying.
The region faces severe weather, with SAWS issuing a level 5 warning, and other parts of South Africa, including Gauteng, are also bracing for thunderstorms.
Motorists are advised to take caution and expect possible disruptions.
According to The Citizen, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said on Tuesday that he has been in regular contact with Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy.
“The Minister has assured me that a team from SANRAL is managing the matter as N2 Ezimbokodweni River Bridge falls under the entity,” said Duma.
“We recall that the Minister was in the province a few weeks ago, together with Sanral to monitor the upgrade of N2 and N3 with a budget of R50 billion.
“We continue to interact with the Minister to accelerate the repair, maintenance and construction of our roads and bridges.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
