The North West Department of Public Works and Roads said the damage of roads and bridges caused by the floods experienced by the province in January this year to date, will cost more than R2.2 billion.
This emerged during the recent oversight visit by the Provincial Executive Council at the Moretele Local Municipality, where the houses of residents and roads in the area were destroyed by heavy rains and floods.
The Head of the Department, Moss Kgantsi cautioned that the individual cost of bridges that must be repaired is equivalent to the entire budget that was set aside for road works and maintenance.
“In the province, there are about five provinces that were affected.
In Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality there are major two roads that are currently under construction.
The other route which is under construction is estimated at up to R134 million.
That route when it was about to be completed, it got washed away.
So, the cost there is around R400 million,” said Kgantsi.
He highlighted that they discovered the similar situation during their oversight visit to Moretele.
“When you come here in Moretele, there are about two major bridges and one road.
The estimated cost there is plus minus R50 million, just to restore the bridge and a portion of that road, it’s a portion of 100 metre that was flooded away,” Kgantsi provided an overview.
He added that in general, the cost of fixing one bridge ranges between R40-R50 million.
Kgantsi says engineers are continuing to assess the damage to verify the cost estimates.
