AFTER vandals set fire to and destroyed part of the northern boardwalk along the uMhlanga Nature Reserve more than a year ago, Breakers Hotel stepped in to replace the 20m missing boardwalk a short while later. Now the entire 120 metres of the boardwalk has been replaced thanks to materials donated by local companies.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife conservation manager, Basil Pather, said the entire bridge replacement took little over a month to complete. Pather said more than 780 slats, 1 600 screws, 42 lengths of 5.4 metre creosoted gum poles were needed to rebuild the bridge.
“Tourism World arranged for the materials and the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff provided the labour. Part of the wooden slats were old or damaged and some had started to deteriorate or rot. The honorary officers deserve all the praise for their hard work. The work was extremely labour intensive, especially because so many of the materials had to be carried through the reserve to get to the bridge,” he said.
Pather said the bridge was a vital part of the reserve’s nature trail which meanders through the coastal forest to boardwalks that span the Ohlange River. He thanked the North Durban community for bearing with them through the repairs.
