Africa-Press – Eswatini. Government is running against time to have the infamous Lushikishini Bridge that claimed the lives of 13 people aboard a minibus that was washed away by floods on a Monday of December 2014 complete before December.
This memorable accident led to the bridge being referred to as the infamous ‘bridge of death’.
Budgetary constraints have proven detrimental to the upgrading of this bridge to a higher level one and Government Roads Engineer Menzi Mbingo conceded that they were behind schedule as initially the upgrading should have taken only three months to complete.
Completion of works on the entire project is expected to cost government E2 998 305.69.
Mbingo promised that the contractor, Mak Works Construction, will be paid this week to allow for the continuation of the project, especially now that the rainy season is upon us.
This situation comes amid fresh warnings from the department of water affairs under the ministry of natural resources and energy of anticipated high flows of the Ngwempisi River coming through from the neighbouring South Africa.
The department warned that as the country has shared water resources with the Republic of South Africa, the anticipated rise in river flows is accounted to high winds (as experienced on October 9, 2022) which are causing large water infrastructure to spill over its surplus flows.
Confluence
“Communities along the Ngwempisi River from Luhlelo, Lushikishini, Mankayane up to the confluence with the Usuthu River at Sidvokodvo are urged to be vigilant and cautious, especially at low level bridges and marked crossings.
“We request that an alternative route is used for crossings as a measure to prevent loss of life,” warned the department.
The department further warned that most of the country’s national dams are almost at full storage capacity. It is imperative to the public to be heed calls on vigilance near water bodies.
“The Department of Water Affairs will update the country on any changes to the Ngwempisi and other rivers as well as the national dam level which is standard practise in anticipation of the rainy season and its impact on an already water saturated catchment.”
Disembarked
Meanwhile, Mbingo disclosed that the bridge project is now a priority for government and that they are doing all in their power for it to be completed and avoid a repeat of the 2014 incident, which some of its survivors who had disembarked from the minibus before the incident described it as miraculous.
It should be noted that there are plenty low level bridges along the Ngwempisi River down to the Lusushwana River, especially around Ngwempisi area, Luyengo, Mphini and Sidvokodvo where motorists have been urged to be extra careful or seek alternative routes to avoid any incidents of being swept away by the overflowing waters.
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