Lambani Bridge finally opens

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19-06-2023
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Zoutnet
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After a four-year wait, the Lambani Bridge has finally been completed and was officially opened to the public on Tuesday, 13 June. The construction of the bridge began in June 2019 with a budget of R17 million. However, due to construction errors, the project faced delays and took an additional three years to complete.

During the construction period, the community expressed their concerns about the bridge, including its levelness, cracks that needed fixing, insufficient width for two-way traffic, and doubts about the strength of the pillars. People feared that the bridge could collapse at any time. Despite these complaints, the bridge was finally presented to the residents, and an official opening ceremony was attended by traditional leaders and community members from Ha-Lambani.

Thulamela Mayor Athingozwidivha Rammbuda, who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony, expressed her happiness that the bridge would provide improved access for the community, especially during rainy weather. She also highlighted that the construction project provided temporary job opportunities for unemployed community members, allowing them to learn new skills related to bridge construction, soil erosion prevention, and water gabion building.

Mayor Rammbuda urged the communities to take responsibility for protecting the bridge and warned against any acts of vandalism. While Limpopo Mirror attempted to interview the mayor regarding the construction errors, she did not respond.

One former worker on the bridge expressed dissatisfaction with the construction, noting that the patched cracks made her doubt the bridge’s strength. She believed that heavy traffic could pose a risk to the bridge, especially as it was designed as a one-way structure on a two-way road.

However, the headman of the area, Mr Patrick Lambani, stated that the community had accepted the situation, acknowledging their limited engineering knowledge. He mentioned that despite their complaints, they had come to terms with the bridge as it is. He expressed satisfaction that the bridge would provide improved passage during rainy periods, unlike before when people had to wait for the rain to stop.

Overall, while some concerns and complaints about the construction errors and design of the bridge exist, the completion of the project has provided enhanced accessibility for the community.