Parliament, Thursday, 31 March 2022 – The North West Province’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) visited Kaiman Bridge in Ratlou Local Municipality yesterday as part of the NCOP’s annual flagship Provincial Week programme.
The delegation expressed its shock at the collapsed Kraaipan Bridge as a result of the recent January heavy rains in the North West this year. The heavy rains resulted in about 1000 households in the area being inconvenienced and their access to essential services such as health, schooling and shopping being severely affected.
The seasonal heavy rains severely damaged the bridge which was built in 1985. Speaking at the site, the leader of the delegation and the Acting Provincial Whip, Mr China Dodovu, called on the Department of Public Works to urgently do an assessment of the extent of the damage and quantify the financial implications.
The bridge falls under the mandate of the local municipality. Mr Dodovu said: “We are urging the Department of Public Works to provide support to the Ratlou Municipality to ensure that the bridge is reconstructed for the benefit of the community.”
The Administrator of the Department of Public Works which is under Section 100 intervention, Mr Molete Moremi, committed to provide support to the Ratlou Municipality to ensure that the bridge is rebuilt to ensure the restoration of normality to the community.
The MEC for Public Works, Mr Gaoage Molapisi, said that his department is currently undergoing an assessment of all bridges in the province with a view to intervene where necessary. Out of the 1000 affected households by the collapse of the bridge, there are school learners as there is only one secondary school in the area which is situated on the other side of the bridge.
The delegation also visited the Sethwathwe Village near Madibogo to assess the 28 km P 1502 road construction which has potholes that are adversely affecting road users. The delegation also visited Groot Marico Waste Water Treatment Plant where it was informed that communities were not consulted about the project and that the communities are very unhappy about that.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE LEADER OF THE NORTH WEST NCOP DELEGATION, MR CHINA DODOVU.
For media enquiries or interviews with the leader of the delegation, please contact the delegation’s Media Officer:
Name: Wiseman Nombanda (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 072 984 9687
E-mail: mnombanda@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour