The residents of uMlazi were thrilled and relieved with the opening of the R102 (South Coast Road) over the weekend.
On Saturday September 9 there were loud cheers and jubilation as ribbons were cut by municipal executives signalling that the road was now ready for use.
The city’s Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda also unveiled a newly constructed Emansomini pedestrian bridge in uMlazi on the same day. The repairs to the R102 near Mega City Shopping Centre in uMlazi will ease traffic flow coming out of uMlazi and surrounding areas.
“Residents benefited from the R30 million road upgrade with over 30 job opportunities for local businesses and local labour being employed during the construction phase of the project. Repairs to the road were necessary after it was badly damaged during last year’s April flood disaster. This resulted in traffic congestion as there was only one lane coming out of uMlazi,” said Mr Kaunda.
The R102 is a busy thoroughfare and is used by more than 2 000 motorists every hour. As part of the upgrade, the sidewalk was widened to ensure the safety of pedestrians. The mayor said with the completion of the project, traffic congestion will be eased. He added that the project contributed immensely to job creation.
“There was a concerted effort to create job opportunities for local businesses and to employ local labour from uMlazi. Locals were also empowered through skills development on the project. We had a good relationship with the stakeholders involved to ensure maximum local community involvement,” he said.
While the road belongs to the KwaZulu–Natal Department of Transport (DOT), the mayor said the city had overseen the repairs because of a memorandum of agreement signed between eThekwini Municipality and the DOT.
Repair work that has been completed includes the lower sub-base layer, upper sub-base layer, the laying of additional gabion baskets as erosion protection, the laying of 300mm thick gabion reno-mattress as erosion protection, installation of guardrails, installation of kerb and channel, and the construction of new sidewalk. As an additional precautionary measure, the team added more gabions on the side of the road to ensure that it does not again suffer extensive damage in the event of flooding, said Mr Kaunda.
A newly built bridge, in Philani Valley near the Mega Philani Mall, was necessary after damage caused during the April floods, said Mr Kaunda.
“The construction of the Emansomini arched soffit pedestrian bridge over the eZimbokodweni River is a four-span semi-integral reinforced concrete bridge with a total length of 100 metres. This project aims to improve the safety and connectivity of residents from Wards 86 and 94 by providing safe passage across the river,” said Mr Kaunda. “The project, also scooped an award during the 2023 National South African Institution of Civil Engineering Awards last week.”
He added that the project had also exceeded the targets of contract participation goals. It created 30 job opportunities for the locals. A budget of R9.3 million was set aside for the building of the bridge.
uMlazi resident, Muzi Mhlongo, welcomed the completion of the bridge repairs saying: “It has brought many benefits to the community including safety and accessibility in the area. The bridge serves as a link between many different communities.”
Sbulele Dlamini, a civil engineering trainee from Mangosuthu University of Technology, also benefited from the bridge construction project.
“I was working as a civil engineering technician for the Emansomini Bridge project. With the bridge being situated near the river, it was not an easy task but being part of the project has given me a lot of experience to help me excel in my chosen career path,” said Mr Dlamini.
