Coast KZN

Repairs on the M4 bridge over the Mdloti River have officially begun after La Mercy residents banded together to force the timeline forward.  The repairs have been made possible by an unprecedented outpouring of financial support from La Mercy residents who have been left isolated following closures of the M4 bridges at the Mdloti and Tongaat rivers.

After the April floods an inspection was done at the bridge by a ‘Joint Roads Task Team’ formed by the La Mercy Ratepayers and Civic Association (LMRCA).

“We discovered that the bridge had not been repaired properly after the last big floods in KZN in 1987,” said task team member, Paul Ramlal.

It was on the same bridge where two policemen were washed away that year.

“The municipality repaired the bridge in what appears to have been a temporary measure back then. They backfilled the damaged section and tarred over it, but never reinstalled the wingwall,” Ramlal said.

A wingwall is installed at a bridge to stabilise it and ideally divert rushing water from the foundation area. Although only one lane is visibly impacted, both were structurally unsound and forced the bridge closure.

“It is at the point of the missing wingwall that the bridge collapsed,” said Ramlal.

Once the inspection was done, the task team engaged with the municipality to determine what plans were in place for repairs.

After multiple meetings with KZN premier Sihle Zikalala – a resident of La Mercy – it emerged that teams were in place but no funds had been allocated for materials.

The municipal teams have been waiting for national funding meant to come from the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) who took over all road repairs following the flood damage.

“We did not know how long this was going to take. It could have been months and that is simply not good enough for our residents,” Ramlal said.

With no other main roads passing La Mercy, residents who work in Durban have had to drive at least an extra 20 km in each direction, while those in Ballito have also been forced into traffic at the Tongaat toll plaza.

The damage on the bridge led to a massive sinkhole, threatening the structural integrity of both lanes and forcing its closure. Although toll fees have been temporarily waived, the extra petrol costs and time wasted have made for a frustrating situation.

This was exacerbated further when parts of the M4 at Desainager were washed away in the second round of floods this past weekend.

It was therefore incumbent on the task team to do anything in their power to speed up the repair.

“We offered to fund the materials needed and after further discussions, it was accepted.”

A fundraising account was set up through Gift of the Givers to ensure that all funds were correctly administered. Although repairs have begun, the overall amount has not been fully reached.

“We decided that to monitor the process correctly, we needed to procure materials on request, rather than all at once. We have started but still need more funds.”

The repairs undertaken will be similar to those in 1987, with the gap backfilled, compacted and tarred over until permanent repairs can be undertaken once the municipality has funds available. It is expected that repairs will be completed in the second week of June.

Asked whether the La Mercy repairs could be applied on the M4 bridge at Tongaat, Ramlal said it was a completely different situation.

“I understand that multiple sections of that bridge were impacted, so it will take much longer than here in La Mercy,” he said.

To donate to the repair cost, contact the chairperson of the LMRCA Ravi Ramsundar, at 082 449 2656 for more details.