Damaged bridge repaired at Amanzimtoti Country Club
The longer bridge was officially opened on Wednesday, 5 June, allowing golfers to play the club’s full 18 holes.
The Amanzimtoti Country Club committee members extend an invitation to local and visiting golfers now that one of the bridges, damaged in April’s storm, has been repaired.
The club boasts two bridges that link the two sets of nine holes – one of 34 metres and a longer one of 44 metres that spans the Umbogintwini River. The smaller bridge, weighing 7.5 tons, was completely lifted off its foundations, turned around by the force of the water and carried more than 15 metres down the river. It was completely damaged, with no chance of salvaging, and it was cut up into scrap.
Fortunately after the October 2017 storm when the club also suffered damage, one of its members donated large concrete slabs which were dumped on the river banks and proved a lifesaver this time around. However, to replace the bridge will cost about R1.2million and the committee hopes to have it completed by the end of August.
The larger bridge fared slightly better, but was also damaged. The northern foundation survived, but the southern was completely wiped out, along with more than five metres of the bank. The club had to replace most of the steel structure, brick paving and wood, as well as build the bank back with gabion baskets, with a price tag of more than R500 000, including loss of revenue.
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“This has been at a huge cost and time to the club,” said committee member, Tommy McNaughton. “We have been a nine-course since the storm and it has hurt the club tremendously.”
The good news is that thanks to some hard work, the longer bridge was officially opened on Wednesday, 5 June, allowing golfers to play the club’s full 18 holes. “The biggest problem was the loss of customers to the club, but we are getting there and we want everyone to know that we are open for business,” said Tommy.
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