The Matanzima Bridge, located at the entrance to KwaNobuhle, Kariega, is currently under repair after it had collapsed during the June 2024 flash flood that hit Kariega.
The construction work is being done by KwaNobuhle residents, part of the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) packing gabion baskets with rocks with the purpose of preventing future flood damage, said Health, Safety and Environmental Manager of the bridge repair, Allister Seale.
Speaking to UD Express, he added that so far, the construction works on the bridge are going smoothly, with no hiccups.
“So far, so good. What has happened so far is that we have removed the damaged parts of the bridge, that being the concrete slab and the section of the road, including the asphalt. The soil has also been removed to a certain depth to expose the underground piers, which support the bridge in its entirety.
“Thereafter, those piers were cleaned and cracks were discovered in the concrete. The cracks were filled with a specific chemical which serves as a bond. The purpose was to seal and repair the cracks from the inside,” Seale said.
According to Seale, as the bridge works started on May 9, he believes the bridge repairs will continue until November 2025, should there be no external factors hindering their progress.
“There are factors that could hinder the progress of the construction, namely, we are working in and on a river, so we need to be careful. Another hindering factor could be the wind. Other issues could be labour-related issues,” he said.
“There are a host of things that could hinder our progress, but as I said earlier, I do not foresee any hindering factors in our control. Everything so far is going according to our plan.”
Seale further added their plans to make the bridge sustainable and safe for users.
“Adjacent to the pier section I spoke about towards the bridge, there is a concrete slab that the piers are constructed on. Adjacent to that slab on either side, we have excavated to a depth of 1.5 metres. Thereafter, we put in steel baskets filled with rocks to create a stable foundation, working off riverbed sand. On top of that bed, we put in gabion baskets. They get packed on top of the base coming up to form a slope to the surface of the road. That supports the soil on either side and supports the sand from caving in and to a certain degree, supports the road and the bridge,” he said.
Seale confirmed that the cause of the bridge collapse is partially soil erosion, hence the installation of the gabion baskets. “Installing these baskets protects the soil from eroding. What happens is, instead of the water washing the soil away, which was the case before the installation of the baskets, the water will hit the baskets filled with rocks instead. The water will now go through the rock and eventually find its way back to the river.”
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