MEDIA STATEMENT: NCOP DELEGATION WELCOMES PROGRESS MADE IN BUILDING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES IN NGAKA MODIRI MOLEMA DISTRICT

The North West’s delegation of the permanent delegates to the NCOP has called on the North West Provincial Government to provide full support to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to ensure that the district carries on with success with its building plans of pedestrian/vehicular bridges where they are required.

The North West Provincial Department of Public Works and Roads received an allocation to an amount of R130 million from the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as funding for the Welisizwe Rural Bridges which is aimed at refurbishing pedestrian/vehicular bridges in the communities.

Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality was prioritized due to floods that took place in 2021/22 in the province. The department identified thirty-five pedestrian bridges and submitted for refurbishment. Upon assessment by the South African National Defence Force and the Department of Public Works, only twelve pedestrian bridges were selected for construction in the current financial year.

The delegation received an update from the provincial department yesterday on the state of roads, refurbishment and construction plans in place. The delegation heard that the process is underway to implement the refurbishment of the six bridges where the SANDF has established sites and has committed to develop an acceleration catch up plan to deliver the six bridges identified before the end of this year’s second quarter.

The delegation appreciated the update, in particular the building of a bridge in the Kraaipan village as residents have been calling and waiting for such infrastructural development projects.

The provincial department informed the delegation that material to build the six bridges has been delivered already on 7 September 2023 for construction of the bridges – to build two vehicular bridges in Kraaipan village, two pedestrian bridges in Montshioastad and one vehicular bridge in Masutlhe village.

Source: Parliament of South Africa