New date for N2 repairs

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23-08-2022
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South Coast Sun
Source

Delays to the N2 Highway repairs set to start in October after several setbacks. Complaints by the DA have caused conflict with the Metro police.

Six months after the damage done by floods in April, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has said the repairs to the N2 Highway in Amanzimtoti and Umgababa will start in October.

The N2 north in Amanzimtoti was reduced to a single lane after the floods in April.

The revised deadline comes after an earlier one in July was inexplicably not honoured, which led the DA to launch an online petition on August 5.

A contractor had been appointed in May and had started working at the Amanzimtoti site near the Adams Road off-ramp but the contract, alongside others nationally, was cancelled due to an irregularity in the tender process.

Sanral’s N2 programme manager, Mabuyi Mhlanga, said the damage in Amanzimtoti occurred on April 3, and the floods a week later worsened the damage.

“[These setbacks] resulted in numerous new priorities that needed to be addressed in addition to damage at this location. As a result, the roads that were completely cut off had to be prioritised first. Also, the Amanzimtoti locations with partial traffic flow, that require extensive repairs, were moved lower down the priority list,” said Mhlanga.

In the meantime, she said the remedial designs have been completed. “We are in the process of procuring contractors for the remedial repairs, with construction to commence in October as per current planning. The repairs are estimated to take two months to compete,” she said.

Ward 97 councillor André Beetge said onsite visibility and a demonstration and leaflet distribution at the Adams Road off-ramp were dispersed by Metro police who apparently acted on a ‘complaint from another political party’.

“It was clear that the action was being initiated from someone higher up in Metro police, as there were constant updates being given. Noting that the traffic flow is already reduced to snail’s pace as a result of the congestion, one finds it amusing to speculate why the awareness action so offended some that it warranted threats of arrest. If they think this will deter us to exert pressure on Sanral to get the job done, they are clearly mistaken,” said Beetge.