Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala says 11 of the 13 Welisizwe bridges planned to be constructed at the Zululand District Municipality in KwaZulu Natal have been completed, adding that the two remaining bridges are at a technical assessment stage.
Speaking at the handover ceremony of two Welisizwe bridges at the Ulundi Local Municipality, Zikalala said in KwaZulu Natal the programme is well on its way to reaching set targets, having completed 41 of the 51 planned bridges.
The Welisizwe bridges are part of rural infrastructure investment by government.
“During the construction period of these two bridges, the employment of local labour was intensified to help alleviate poverty within the Zululand District Municipality.
“[A total of] 161 jobs were created, and of these, 152 were EPWP, five were artisans, two special workman trainees, and one clerical,” said Zikalala.
During the 2023 budget vote, Zikalala announced a R3.8 billion allocation for the Welisizwe bridges programme targeting six provinces including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West.
Zikalala said the Welisizwe programme supports localisation, SMME development, job creation, and transformation in the construction sector, with construction material and bridge components sourced locally.
Across the six provinces, 288 Welisizwe bridges have been targeted for construction and of those, 130 have been completed with 48 others currently under construction.
“Plans are now well advanced in consultation with the Department of Transport for the submission of the Phase Two application.
“This next phase will provide for the construction of additional rural bridges and the expansion of the Welisizwe programme to the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng provinces which were not included in the first phase,” said the Deputy Minister.
The Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme is aimed at ensuring that rural communities are able to go on with their daily lives, and easily and safely reach schools, workplaces and other amenities.
The initiative also forms part of the Strategic Integrated Project and supports government’s economic recovery programme.
This initiative is managed by the department of Public Works and Infrastructure, the South African National Defence Force and Provincial Transport Departments. – SAnews.gov.za
