The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is intensifying its focus on improving the local road infrastructure network to promote economic development and residents’ quality of life – especially the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society.
On Friday, October 14, the NMBM member of the mayoral committee for roads and transport, Councillor Kabelo Mogatosi, handed over a completed street construction project in Schauderville.
Schauderville-Korsten is one of the city’s highly active retail economic activity areas, servicing the broader Northern Areas and the former Ibhayi area, inclusive of New Brighton, KwaZakhele, Zwide, Veeplaas and surrounding areas.
The completed access street, which cost the city just over R1 million, will not only improve access for vehicle owners staying within the area, but it will also improve the mobility of physically challenged and elderly residents, who will now be able to move in and out of their area more freely.
The NMBM roads and transport directorate has identified Schauderville and Korsten as priority areas for road infrastructure improvements.
“Our intention is clear and our approach will be two-fold. Our road infrastructure improvements will be the catalyst for inclusive economic growth in our city. The hard work we are putting in to improve the quality of our roads gives us the confidence to say that Nelson Mandela Bay is an investment destination of choice,” said Mogatosi.
“The other part of our work talks to improving residents’ quality of life. In Nelson Mandela Bay, we still have streets that are not accessible to emergency services vehicles like ambulances.
“People with mobility and other disabilities still struggle because the streets they live in are not conducive for them. We need to change this scenario,” said Mogatosi.
This completed street construction forms part of a number of projects that will be undertaken by the municipality in the Northern Areas.
In Mthuthwini Street in Bethelsdorp (Ward 38), work has already started on the construction of a road at a cost of around R7 million.
In one of the highly economic active roads in Korsten, Durban Road, the city will soon be launching a project to fix potholes and create road markings, which will be preceded by an intensive road traffic enforcement campaign to improve mobility, in support of economic activity in the area.
Work will also be done in Highfield Road, which is one of the busiest streets in the area.
Community member, Denise Petersen, said that she was excited about the completion of the street.
“We used to have more than 30 stairs as the only access into our area. All these years, we had to carry our elderly family members up and down those stairs. There was no access for cars; those who owned cars would have to park far down from their homes. Our lives have really been improved,” she said.
