Wikimedia.org/John A Forbes
The KZN Department of Transport has highlighted plans to upgrade and build new roads and bridges in the Nkandla Local Municipality.
Wikimedia.org/John A Forbes
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni has announced that more than R2,4 billion has been budgeted for major road infrastructure projects in the Nkandla Local Municipality.
Nkonyeni unveiled the detailed plans for the nine projects, which will be implemented in phases, during a stakeholder engagement as part of her 2021/2022 post-budget meeting, at Qhudeni Library in Nkandla on Sunday.
“The Department of Transport has budgeted over R2,4 billion for capital infrastructure projects in Nkandla Local Municipality and some of those projects are at planning and design stages,” Nkonyeni said.
“One of the strategic priorities of this current administration is to build the capacity of the state to deliver. We are working hard to address all the historical organisational and systemic structural design of the department. However, we are fast-tracking internal processes through appointing multi–disciplinary professional teams in the construction industry through the Turnkey approach. The Department will also resuscitate the Contract Management Unit as part of improving service delivery,” she said.
Some of the projects that Nkonyeni highlighted include:
The department also outlined the maintenance projects including re-gravelling, blading and pothole patching that are planned for Nkandla.
Nkonyeni said the planned infrastructure projects in Nkandla were “very important” for job creation.
“We are fully committed to job creation and empowering local contractors. Projects that the department will be implementing in Nkandla must empower the local community particularly youth, women, people with disabilities and military veterans,” she said.
“We must create job opportunities and ensure skills development. Public-private partnerships are also critical to the success of our province, so we must work together to create jobs. The private sector and traditional leaders are an essential part of the conversation. Rural and township communities should be beneficiaries through various employment opportunities, training and sub-contracting opportunities,” said MEC Nkonyeni.