ALBERTON- The broken bridge over Swartkoppies Road was due to be fixed in December 2013, but seven years after a truck drove into it, no progress has been made.
“It has been on my Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the past four years, and it was also on my predecessors IDPs ever since it was damaged,” says DA Councillor Estelle Visser.
This is a busy, dangerous road and pedestrians need this bridge to be rebuilt soon. Councillor Visser told the RECORD in 2013 that no claim was put through to the owner of the truck which damaged the bridge.The mayor said that the claim would cost the metro too much money.
Councillor Visser indicated that Ward 38 was allocated no money to fix the bridge in the 2012/2013 or 2013/2014 budget years, although it was an IDP priority.The bridge was also never insured. Councillor Visser suggested at that stage that the Municipal Public Accounts Committee or the Special Investigation Unit should look into the matter.
Jackson Dam overflowing into neighbouring homes during rainy season is another headache. Councillor Visser is driving this issue, which has also been on her IDP for four years, with the help of environmentalists and other councillors. She has a vision that this dam could become a bio-diverse wetland for future generations.
She, along with many residents, are also concerned about the potholes appearing in so many roads. She pointed out the repair work in front of the Checkers shopping centre and the poor quality of workmanship. The patched-up tar will no doubt disintegrate with the first heavy rains.
