The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) has updated motorists on the progress of repairs to infrastructure on roads such as the N2 and N3 that were severely damaged during the April floods in KwaZulu Natal, advising that reconstruction is now “well under way”.
“Since the April floods that damaged several roads in KwaZulu Natal, the Sanral team has worked tirelessly to put in place make-safe measures across the N2 and N3 network. Traffic deviations and traffic accommodation were necessary in some areas of the network,” Sanral’s Eastern Regional Manager, Dumisani Nkabinde, said in a statement.
Sanral assured communities, especially those who felt neglected, that all roads in all areas would be attended to. The roads agency said it had devised a priority matrix to fix and repair all affected routes to ensure that the entire network was open to traffic.
“We are mindful that there are areas that are restricted to traffic and some are reduced to one lane. However, Sanral’s team is working tirelessly to ensure accessibility in these areas,” he said.
Repairs to the uMhlanga River Bridge, where the N2 north carriageway was reduced to a single lane, are going according to plan and expected to be completed this week. Sanral urged the public to be cautious when driving through the areas where repairs are still taking place across the road network. “Sanral wishes to express sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the multiple vehicle accident that took place near Pietermaritzburg, and a speedy recovery to the injured. We would like to thank the motorists for their patience during the restoration period. This is a temporary inconvenience,” Nkabinde said.
Section 24 of the N2 northbound carriageway between Umzinto and Umgababa was opened to traffic on Friday, May 27 after the road had undergone a thorough project completion inspection, and all the requirements, including road safety features, had been met.
