President Cyril Ramaphosa: Handover of Mpumalanga Welisizwe rural bridge

Programme Director,
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Dean Macpherson,
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms. Angie Motshekga,
Premier of Mpumalanga, Mr. Mandla Ndlovu,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
MEC’s,
Executive Mayor of the Nkangala District Municipality, Cllr. Thomas Ngwenya,
Traditional and community leaders,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning. Sanibonani. Avuxeni. Goeie môre.

I greet the residents of KwaMhlanga and the Nkangala District Municipality.

It is a pleasure to be here in Mpumalanga again.

We are here as government to report that we have delivered on our promise to address the problem of old and dilapidated bridges in Mpumalanga.

Communities have been struggling with this for some time. Poor transport infrastructure has been making it difficult to get to and from places of work, school, the hospital and clinic, and to towns and cities from rural areas.

In some cases, what would normally be a quick journey from one place to another takes double the time because there is no bridge.

This has been particularly difficult in areas near or separated by water sources like rivers or streams.

When the rains come or there are heavy floods, crossing becomes difficult and dangerous.

As government we have heard your call as the people of Mpumalanga for this issue to be addressed.

Earlier today we officially launched bridges at Vezubuhle, Leratong and Zakheni as part of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme.

This is a ground-breaking method to construct bridges that are sturdy, that last, and that are safe for communities.

This programme has been in existence since 2020 and is a designated Strategic Integrated Project under our national infrastructure build.

We have been working with speed to deploy the bridges where they are needed most, in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North-West, the Eastern Cape and the Free State.

We were all extremely impressed by the quality of the structures we visited earlier, as you have seen in the video that has just been played.

This type of bridge is known as a Bailey bridge. It is a portable, prefabricated truss bridge constructed with timber and steel alloys, suspended on reinforced concrete.

The biggest advantage of a Bailey bridge is that it can be transported and assembled in a matter of days, compared to constructing a regular bridge.

During the devastating floods in parts of the country two years ago, we were able to deploy 14 of these bridges to support affected communities in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.

These bridges are made to last. With regular maintenance, the average lifespan of a Bailey Bridge is twenty years.

Bailey bridges have been used by the military since the Second World War. Here in South Africa, they are being constructed by the South African Army Engineer Formation.

I want to once more congratulate the South African National Defence Force for its contribution to uplifting communities.

Whether as part of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme, in assisting with water source rehabilitation, or deployed to guard critical energy infrastructure, the SANDF is driving development and progress across our land.

Welisizwe bridges are addressing the legacy of apartheid-era spatial planning, when investment in quality infrastructure was confined to certain areas.

Our rural communities were most disadvantaged by this neglect, and this is something we as government are determined to resolve.

These bridges will improve mobility for all the people of the province. Our learners will be able to make it safely to and from school. It will be easier for our elders to reach hospitals and clinics, and to get to pension pay points.

These bridges will make commuting safer, faster and easier for women and children, because they don’t have to make their way through areas that are unsafe, especially at night.

Pedestrian safety will be improved.

Beyond improving mobility and connectivity in rural areas, the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme is creating decent work and business opportunities for our citizens.

Earlier we heard from local entrepreneurs on how the construction of a Welisizwe Bridge brought them business.

A key component of this programme is that components and construction materials must be sourced locally.

We also heard from the beneficiaries of the Expanded Public Works Programme or EPWP.

Each bridge site deploys Army engineers, artisans and EPWP workers who provide services like welding, groundwork, earth moving and soil retention.

The EPWP also supports skills development. Graduates are appointed to work in bridge assessment, project management, maintenance, as assistant engineers and as candidate construction project managers.

I am told that the construction of the bridges we launched today created work opportunities for 105 EPWP beneficiaries.

This is 105 unemployed South Africans given a chance to earn a living. With this income they were able to support themselves and their families.

With the skills they learned, they are now able to secure further employment in construction or other sectors.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has set itself an ambitious target of constructing 288 bridges by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year.

Seventeen of these bridges are planned for Mpumalanga.

An amount of R3,8 billion has been allocated for this purpose over the 2023/2024 and 2025/2026 financial years.

In line with the localization requirement, construction materials and bridge components will be sourced from local suppliers.

We anticipate that approximately 17 000 job opportunities and 510 training opportunities will be created during this phase, including for EPWP participants and artisans.

This is the model to which we aspire. The construction of social infrastructure that meets community need, helps us achieve our national infrastructure build goals, and supports job creation.

This year marks thirty years since we attained our democracy.

We inherited a country where one’s quality of life was determined by the colour of one’s skin.  

What this meant was that white South Africans and predominantly white areas got decent and quality roads and bridges, hospitals, clinics and schools.

Over the past thirty years we have made considerable progress in leveraging public infrastructure to narrow the gulf of inequality. This programme is part of that effort.

As the seventh administration we are committed to speeding up the pace of service delivery to ensure more South Africans have access to the amenities they need to lead lives of dignity.  

I want to make a call to our communities.

Look after these assets. They are your assets.

They are for the benefit of your community and for the benefit of future generations.

Work with local and provincial authorities to ensure they are protected from vandalism. Use them safely and for the purpose they are intended.

Desist from any acts that damage them or make them unsafe for use by others.

As local and provincial authorities, let us ensure that members of the community and local businesses benefit from the opportunities created by the construction of the bridges.

As national government let us continue to think innovatively and creatively when it comes to our respective service delivery models.

This programme is best practice in how we can address backlogs and provide services within tighter timeframes and at a lesser cost.

Allow me to thank all who have been part of making today a success, and thank you for all the hard work and planning that has gone into this launch.

The Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme is a sign of our commitment as government to bring development to all, and most importantly to ensure that no-one is left behind.

I thank you