Road works set to resume at main eSikhaleni intersection
CONSTRUCTION work to complete eSikhaleni's main intersection upgrade will resume shortly says the uMhlathuze Municipality.
Construction work was put on hold when the country was placed on lockdown Level 5 in March last year with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Work was expected to continue when the country reached lockdown Level 1, but a contractual dispute between the city, construction company and the consultant caused further delays.
‘We were involved in legal battles, but all issues have been resolved and work will now resume,’ said city’s Communications Manager, Mdu Ncalane.
Two years ago residents complained about the road being too narrow, causing delays and major traffic congestion in the mornings and afternoon during peak hours.
Upgrades detailed in the initial plan included the expansion of the narrow main road and the upgrade of the traffic circle. It also included the beautification of the township's entrance and building a park for social activities.
However, with the work on hold for more than a year, motorists had to endure driving on a road filled with rubble, concrete road guards and an absence of railings.
'The main entrance is far more dangerous now than before. The road is even narrower with the construction people having left all their rubble and concrete slabs all over the place,' said a motorist.
Another echoed the same sentiments, saying her car has been damaged twice.
‘It’s a disaster waiting to happen. ‘They have dug up our roads and have not fixed them and it’s even more dangerous,’ she said. According to the city, the date for the work to commerce will be announced soon.