Delayed and Overdue: The Nogqala Bridge Saga Continues

Three years have elapsed since the hopeful commencement of construction on Nogqala bridge near Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape, yet the community continues to face the stark reality of an incomplete project. A project that had an initial allocation below R13-million now echoes with the lingering sound of R9.7-million spent but not actualized into the crucial infrastructure it promised to be.

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng publicly quantified this expenditure in a parliamentary session, responding to questions with figures that contrast sharply to the physical absence of a functional structure. What remains are merely skeletal footings, an inadequate representation of the promised bridge that has been expected for two decades.

This development, or lack thereof, is a pressing issue for the Nogqala residents. It’s not simply about connectivity; the bridge embodies the route to essential services such as clinics and schools. With the existing predicament, the inclement weather severely disrupts the educational attendance of the younger generation and even the villagers' capacity to manage the solemn duties and rituals associated with death. The consequences are grievous, sometimes tragic; the river has taken lives.

Sivuyile Myeko, representing Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality, addressed the concerns by noting the termination of the contract with the first contractor due to inadequate performance and slow progression. Replacing the initial contractor, a second was appointed, though even this effort was brought to a standstill with their subsequent disappearance post-November 2023.

Local community leader Vuyani Mnqayi articulates the collective disappointment and acknowledges the repeated assurances made by the municipality spanning a score of years. These are assurances that have yielded no tangible results till date. Meanwhile, Nosiphe Sikepe, a grandmother, shared her distress over her grandchildren's interrupted schooling due to the lack of safe passage during rainfalls.

As per Myeko's clarification, the project's hurdles are not solely tied to performance issues. Technical requirements such as pile testing on the footings have to be completed, a task delayed by January's persistent rainfalls. Furthermore, there has been community discontent leading to the rejection of the first project steering committee following the introduction of the second contractor, although this has supposedly been resolved.

The delay and mismanagement of the Nogqala bridge construction project highlight the complex interplay between municipal governance, contractor accountability, environmental challenges, and the profound impact of such factors on the daily lives of local residents. With only 14 individuals benefiting from short-term employment on the project as stated by Myeko, the promises of broader community upliftment through infrastructure development remain unfulfilled.

For now, the bridge’s non-presence continues to be a literal and metaphorical divide, keeping the people of Nogqala from the opportunities and safety they rightfully deserve.