Billions set aside for N2 Wild Coast road

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30-08-2024
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South Coast Herald
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The significance of the investment here in the Wild Coast is that it reduces travel distance by 80km between Post St John’s and Port Shepstone.

A new R2.2b construction phase of the flagship N2 Wild Coast Road in the Eastern Cape has been launched.

Most recently, Reginald Demana, the CEO of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited, concluded a three-day visit to inspect progress on the new road.

Demana also visited the construction sites at the Msikaba and Mtentu mega-bridges, as well as a 17km stretch of road between the two mega-bridges.

He also announced the construction between the Lingeni Intersection and the Msikaba Bridge, valued at R2.2b, which is another major milestone for the project. In addition to the two mega-bridges, there are seven major construction packages on the N2 Wild Coast Road.

Demana says the project is making steady progress, and while the long-term benefits will only be realised once construction is completed, the project has already had a massive socio-economic impact on local communities.

“Construction on the N2 Wild Coast Road is advancing, and the progress is visible, with significant milestones having been reached already. On a project of this scale, stretching for 110km across the Eastern Cape, there will no doubt be challenges such as the complexity of the engineering, but it is clear that we are making steady progress,” said Demana.

“The main reason for the N2 Wild Coast Road – and why our government deliberately made a decision to invest about R20b in this part of the country – is because it’s a major connectivity road. It connects four provinces, that is, the N2 starting in Cape Town in the Western Cape, running into the Eastern Cape and to KZN and finally into Mpumalanga, which then further connects to neighbouring Mozambique. That illustrates the importance of the N2 Wild Coast Road.

“The significance of the investment here in the Wild Coast is that it reduces travel distance by 80km between Post St John’s and Port Shepstone. It also reduces the travel time by up to two hours, depending on the type of vehicle you drive. Shorter travel distances reduce transport costs or logistics costs. It’s also flatter and, therefore, safer. We believe by doing that, we are enhancing the connectivity and also enhancing the ability to trade more efficiently.

“Obviously, where we build projects, there is an immediate benefit in the form of jobs that we create. On the N2, we estimate that we will create about 8 000 to 9 000 full-time equivalent jobs, with between 22 000 and 28 000 indirect jobs. That amounts to a lot of immediate benefits.”

Demana received a detailed briefing on the Msikaba Bridge, which is advancing well, with the inverted-Y pylon structures having exceeded 90% toward completion on both ends of the bridge. Construction of the bridge deck is anticipated to conclude in the first quarter of 2025, with the cable installation expected within the same period. The project has suffered some delays due to the unavailability of cable in the local market, which required that it be imported from overseas suppliers, as well as challenges related to the complexity of the engineering.