Msunduzi spends R100 million on road infrastructure

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31-08-2023
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The Citizen
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Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla said that the IPTN project is a great boost for both the municipality and its residents.

Over the past six months Msunduzi Municipality has spent almost R100 million on road infrastructure through the Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN) project.

Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla said that the IPTN project is a great boost for both the municipality and its residents.

“Transport remains one of the main contributors to economic development. These developments will allow residents to move easily around the city,” the mayor said.

Thebolla added that the municipality often receives complaints from motorists about the difficulties of travelling during peak hours, and the IPTN project has proved to be the solution to the public’s concerns regarding road issues.

At an oversight visit to check on the progress of construction on Nhlazatshe and Dambuza roads, Thebolla commended the work of the two ward councillors. He said the construction would not have been a success if they had not been involved in all the processes to make the project a success.

The completion of the road in Nhlazatshe took about seven of the eight planned months. Residents in the area had previously complained about the road and how it affected the community, especially during heavy rainfalls.

The Dambuza Road had a number of potholes that needed intervention, the mayor said. “The Dambuza Road was in a bad condition. We had to reconstruct the entire road, which has thus far cost us close to R5 million and this is only phase one.

For phase two we are planning on spending approximately R12 million as this is a long road

One of the many roads included in the IPTN is Montgomery Drive in Athlone. Reginald Khanyile, the ward 25 councillor, said they are pleased with the progress that the municipality has made over the past few weeks.

“We would like to thank the city manager, Lulamile Mapholoba, for his continual efforts to better the conditions in our city,” he said.

He added that there is still a long way to go to make sure that the city is operating at its full potential.

Antony Waldhausen of the Msunduzi Association of Residents Ratepayers and Civics (Marrc), however, said he believed this initiative by the municipality will come to an end after the elections next year.

Waldhausen said it has taken Msunduzi a long time to fix the roads around the city.

“The road around where I stay in Scottsville has been in a bad condition for almost five years now, but they were able to get it fixed in only five days,” he said.

Thebolla said that they have received a number of comments about the municipality only delivering services closer to the national elections.

“Come sunshine or rain, we will work to better the lives of community members in the Msunduzi Municipality,” the mayor said.

Construction work on Dambuza Road in Pietermaritzburg. Photo: Supplied