Msahweni road extensively damaged
MSAHWENI – Road users at Msahweni are in serious danger.
This is after part of the area’s road network was extensively damaged due to the recent torrential rainfall received in the kingdom.
One lane of the road is now not usable, as the tar was eroded by rainwater, making a huge hole underneath.
According to Timphisini Indvuna Yenkhundla Sipho Mndzawe, tourists and people of the area using the road were in serious danger, especially when driving at night.
“I went to assess the situation yesterday (Saturday) and noted the danger that the road had become. We appeal to government to assist us. Motorists may drive on it thinking that it is safe, only to find themselves getting seriously injured,” said Mndzawe.
The community leader said it was a busy road, as it led to Matsamo Border Gate and it was the only usable road in that area.
Meanwhile, Vusweni Bucopho Sibusiso Kunene, said owners of public transport vehicles which serviced the Vusweni route were forced to withdraw their services as the road infrastructure became inaccessible after it was damaged by the heavy downpour.
Damaged
“It is true that our road network was extensively damaged. There are areas of the inkhundla where public transport vehicles can no longer provide service in, due to the condition of the road,” he said.
Kunene highlighted that areas such as Mlambo at Vusweni were now without public transport and residents had to walk several kilometres on a daily basis.
“At this area, the owner of the kombi withdrew his services and the residents must walk two to three kilometres to reach a tar road, where they can get public transport servicing places such as Motshane and Mahamba,” said Kunene.
The community leader added that so bad was the situation, such that even those who used personal cars were forced to leave their vehicles at home and walk as the road was badly damaged.
“We have engaged the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, luckily they have offered us a bulldozer which we are using to try rehabilitate the road,” he said.
Kunene said they had been, in the past, using a grader to try and maintain the road but there were places with gigantic rocks where it was impossible to reshape the road using a grader.
“The dozer had already started working on the road by the time the heavy rains hit the country, but the downpour caused serious damage and it must be fixed once again. The bulldozer is currently working at Mahlandla area and is expected to be used to fix the road up until it reaches Zombodze Rural Development Area (RDA) at an area called Matimatima,” said Kunene.
He said they had made a request to the
Ministry of Public Works and Transport to have the dozer fix all the Maseyisini Inkhundla communities’ roads.
This, he said, was after they had a meeting at Maseyisini Umphakatsi with all community leaders from the various chiefdoms. Kunene said all the chiefdoms’ tindvuna indicated that their main challenge was the poor condition of the roads at the areas.
A questionnaire was sent to the ministry yesterday, but a response had not been obtained at the time of compiling this report.