Multimillion-rand road projects resume in BCM

With SA now on lockdown level 3, Buffalo City Metro has resumed its road construction projects.

The city has pumped millions of rand into upgrading and constructing roads in the metro in what authorities labelled as “turning BCM into a big construction site”.

The metro will spend R400m in the next two years upgrading Settlers Way. R30m will go to fix the Albatross Road in King William’s Town, R12m Gonubie Main Road and R5m for the Bonza Bay road circle at the top of Batting hill.

BCM mayor Xola Pakati said on Monday the metro was spending R14m to fix roads in Mdantsane.

On Tuesday, Pakati was at a sod-turning event in Mdantsane to mark the start of the project in the township.

The upgrading of the Qumza Highway Road was ongoing, Pakati said.

“We are in Mdantsane to introduce the contractors for the Phase 4A Mdantsane internal road construction from gravel to tar.”

The project would be done in clusters in various wards and was to be completed by the end of 2021, Pakati said.

“This is part of the ongoing work done by the city to deliver services to the people as well as improve the infrastructure in our township.

“This is the task we are determined to complete before we end our term in office,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the project on Settlers Way, which links the city to the East London airport, was expected to be a hive of construction activity.

The R51m Sleeper Site project in the CBD is due for completion in March 2021, Ngwenya said.

“Due to the national lockdown the project lost eight weeks, and when work resumed only about 30% of staff came back, but motorists can still drive on the opened intersection.”

Other road projects under way include the Gonubie-Beacon Bay link road.

Ngwenya said they were still waiting for funding for phases four and five of the project, which he said would be done at the same time.

Some motorists welcomed the upgrades.

Taxi driver Masixole Ngwenje said: “At least we will stop driving on bad roads, but they must try to work effectively and not interfere with traffic all the time.”

Pakati was at a sod-turning event in Mdantsane to mark the start of the project in the township.

The upgrading of the Qumza Highway Road was ongoing, Pakati said.

“We are in Mdantsane to introduce the contractors for the Phase 4A Mdantsane internal road construction from gravel to tar.”

The project would be done in clusters in various wards and was to be completed by the end of 2021, Pakati said.

“This is part of the ongoing work done by the city to deliver services to the people as well as improve the infrastructure in our township.

“This is the task we are determined to complete before we end our term in office,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the project on Settlers Way, which links the city to the East London airport, was expected to be a hive of construction activity.

The R51m Sleeper Site project in the CBD is due for completion in March 2021, Ngwenya said.

“Due to the national lockdown the project lost eight weeks, and when work resumed only about 30% of staff came back, but motorists can still drive on the opened intersection.”

Other road projects under way include the Gonubie-Beacon Bay link road.

Ngwenya said they were still waiting for funding for phases four and five of the project, which he said would be done at the same time.

Some motorists welcomed the upgrades.

Taxi driver Masixole Ngwenje said: “At least we will stop driving on bad roads, but they must try to work effectively and not interfere with traffic all the time.”