Durban - A Richmond Local Municipality ward councillor acted swiftly after videos surfaced on social media of residents, mainly schoolchildren, crossing a raging river which had part of its bridge washed away during heavy rains and flooding in parts of KwaZulu-Natal last month.
On April 26, 2022, Sibusiso Ndlovu shared videos of the young and old crossing to the other side while using a makeshift platform that was made out of logs and corrugated iron.
Ndlovu said normally with the use of the bridge, travelling from Nhlazuka and Kwaphuthaza using public transport to Isipingo was an hour and a half. However, without the bridge, it took about five hours.
Three days later, Ndlovu made an appreciation post for councillor Melikhaya Ngcongo, who responded quickly and the bridge was repaired.
Speaking to the Daily News, Ngcongo said what he did was no miracle.
“We saw the pictures circulating and we saw that it jeopardised the safety of our children crossing to school daily,” Ngcongo said.
“People had started to make a noise about it and protest. But the day they started protesting, I had already made an appeal for an intervention.”
Ngcongo said the bridge was maintained by the KZN Department of Transport and it was used by the community.
He said they took the stance that if they had the resources then they should intervene.
“What we did there was temporary. The department will do reinforcements,” Ngconga said.
He said there were other bridges that were like it and the same process was adopted there.
Daily News