The ceremonial handover of the project to fix the collapsed bridge on the R522 along the Tshikwarani-Louis Trichardt road will take place today (Friday).

“We awarded a tender to a contractor and our team visited the spot on Tuesday,” said the senior manager of the Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL), Mr Maropeng Manyathela. “We will hand over the project on Friday (today) and the Makhado Municipality will also join us at the ceremony.”

According to residents of the Kutama area, the fixing of the bridge will bring huge relief to the residents of the area. The bridge had collapsed some six years ago and over the past years, several accidents occurred at the place.

On 23 June 2017, the EPW Project’s workers who were stationed at the Schoemansdal Museum Centre were travelling in a Nissan bakkie when it hit a white BMW that was waiting in front of them for an oncoming car to pass first. Four of the seven occupants sustained critical injuries.

Kutama Traditional Council's representative, Mr Gilbert Muofhe, said they were waiting for the RAL officials to bring a contractor to do the work. “If they are coming, they should just come,” he said. “We have lost lives on that bridge and we are not happy about that, because all those accidents could have been prevented.”