R8.7 Billion allocated for KZN’s roads: NKZN set for major upgrades

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22-08-2024
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New Castillian News
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The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport is taking bold strides to address the critical state of road infrastructure in the province, with a significant budget allocation announced for the upcoming year.

This follows MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, delivering a budget speech, unveiling ambitious plans aimed at transforming the landscape of KZN’s transport infrastructure.

MEC Duma highlighted the Transport Infrastructure Programme, a cornerstone of the department’s strategy to enhance accessibility and ensure the safe, affordable movement of people, goods, and services across the province. “The President has announced infrastructure as a critical driver of economic development. We continue to strike a delicate balance between constructing new projects and maintaining existing infrastructure,” Duma stated with determination.

He fruther noted the department had committed R8.7 billion towards transport infrastructure. Of this, over R3.7 billion will be channelled into the construction of new roads and bridges, while more than R4 billion will be dedicated to maintaining the current road network. An additional R58 million is earmarked for infrastructure planning and design, with over R920 million allocated to support transport infrastructure programmes.

Despite the substantial investment, MEC Duma acknowledged the challenges posed by the vast infrastructure upgrade and maintenance backlog, exacerbated by recent floods that forced budget reprioritisation.

“This challenge has been further compounded by ongoing floods, which have seen us reprioritise our budget to fix flood-damaged projects. We need to come up with innovative ways to raise capital that will address the backlog,” he said, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

Moreover, Duma emphasised the role of the National Infrastructure Fund in addressing these challenges, stating, “This includes, but is not limited to, the National Infrastructure Fund, which will assist us in rolling out other road infrastructure projects and developing other transport subsectors to accommodate the growing population and accelerate economic growth.”

Residents of Northern KwaZulu-Natal can look forward to a wave of infrastructural improvements, with the Amajuba District Municipality, covering Newcastle, Dannhauser, and Utrecht, set to receive a substantial allocation of R871,581,250. This investment is poised to significantly enhance local road infrastructure, benefiting these towns immensely.

The uMzinyathi District Municipality, which includes Dundee, Msinga, Nquthu, and Umvoti, has been allocated R749,823,000, while the uThukela District Municipality, covering Ladysmith, Bergville, and Indaka, will receive R656,858,055.

As part of the department’s infrastructure plans, several strategic roads are scheduled for rehabilitation in the coming financial year.

These include:

• P34-4, a 25 km stretch from Vryheid to eDumbe under the Abaqulusi (Vryheid) Local Municipality, with an investment of just over R354 million.
• P394, a 24 km road from Winterton to Bergville, valued at over R285 million, under the Okhahlamba Local Municipality.
• P32, a 28 km road from Ladysmith to Ekuvukeni, with a budget of over R283 million, under Alfred Duma Local Municipality.
• P46-2, a 29 km road from Hlobane to Louwsburg under Abaqulusi Local Municipality, set for rehabilitation at a cost of over R308 million.
• These projects are expected to bring about transformative changes in the region, significantly improving road safety and accessibility.
• In a move to further accelerate infrastructure investment, the KZN Department of Transport is forging a strategic partnership with SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency SoC Limited). Therefore, MEC Duma expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating, “Our hopes and aspirations for a better future are further given impetus by the massive investment in the province by SANRAL. Over the next three to five years, SANRAL will invest more than R100 billion in our province.”

This partnership extends beyond infrastructure projects, with the department and SANRAL currently sharing resources, such as the digital road monitoring centre in uMkhondeni, to enhance traffic management across KZN.

Furthermore, the MEC pointed out that motorists in the province are already witnessing the transformation of key roads, particularly the N3 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, and the N2 between EB Cloete and uMdloti. Additional SANRAL capital projects include:

• N11: Upgrades between Bergville and Newcastle.
• Kokstad Interchange**: Enhancing traffic flow in the Kokstad area.
• N2: Upgrades between Empangeni and Phongolo.
• R22 Upgrade/Partial Interchange**: Located in Hluhluwe.

Strategic infrastructure projects such as the KwaXimba bridges and the Isandlwana road, crucial for the province’s tourism growth, are also being prioritised through the partnership between the Department of Transport and SANRAL.

Additionally, the ongoing N11 project, which began in March 2023, is set to bring about significant improvements in road safety. SANRAL has outlined that Phase 1 of the project, covering the stretch between Ladysmith and Elandslaagte, is expected to be completed by late 2026. Phase 2, from Elandslaagte to Nkunzi River, is slated for completion by 2028.

Upon completion, the N11 will feature realigned curves, widened lanes, newly lined stormwater drains, and the installation of gabions and retaining walls, among other enhancements—all aimed at ensuring safer travel for motorists.

Newcastillian News has reached out to SANRAL for updates on these projects. While specific details were not available at this time, SANRAL confirmed that work is progressing as planned and that residents will be notified of any developments as soon as they arise.

As the road infrastructure across Northern KwaZulu-Natal prepares for a much-needed transformation, the impact on local communities will be profound.