Question NW1839 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
29 June 2023 - NW1839
Seitlholo, Mr IS to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
With reference to the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme, (a) what total number of (i) bridges were identified by Infrastructure South Africa for construction and (ii) the specified bridges have been built to date, (b) where are the bridges built and (c) what (i) is the lifespan of the already built bridges and (ii) are the relevant details in terms of the quality of the built bridges?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
a) The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure working together with the Provincial Departments responsible for Roads and municipalities identified 288 bridges to be constructed under the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework MTEF period.
(ii) The programme has been able to build 41 bridges since its inception in 2009 but has also been able to complete four (4) in the 2022/23 financial year. The plan is to build 96 bridges for the current financial year through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) allocated from the beginning of 2023/24 financial year.
b) The 41 bridges were built in the Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng; the four completed bridges for 2022/23 are in Kwa-Zulu Natal while the 288 planned bridges will be built in Eastern Cape, Free State, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West over the MTEF period.
c) The life span of the bridges is over 20 years with maintenance; and
(ii) Their quality can be traced back to world war two (1945) wherein some of the constructed bridges are still functional to date depending on maintenance provided.