Completion of project – Mvumase Uthukela River pedestrian bridge
Facing the possibility of drowning due to the strong currents and flash flooding while crossing the crocodile-infested Uthukela River is now in the past for community members of KwaDukuza and Maphumulo. This follows the completion of the Mvumase Uthukela River Pedestrian Bridge that was constructed at a cost of R9.5 million.
This remarkable structure has the distinction of being the first steel pedestrian suspension bridge to be constructed in the Maphumulo area.
The Department’s brief was to pay special attention to the bridge’s aesthetics and environmental-friendliness to ensure harmony with the natural environment. This was achieved by incorporating special geometric considerations to the construction of slender structural elements, such as the suspension cable profile to mimic the surrounding mountainous terrain, the pigmented concrete deck to blend in with the natural soil color, and the stone-pitching of the concrete anchor blocks on either end of the bridge to allow the structural elements to blend into the naturally-occurring rock protrusions.
This award-winning structure has an overall length of 180 metres and a width of two metres, with towers that are nearly 27 metres high.
The Mvumase Uthukela River Pedestrian Bridge primarily assists school learners who attend Mvumase Primary School, Empungeni Primary School, Siyacothoza Primary School and the Ezithabeni Senior School. It also provides easy access to the Uqaqeni and the Mtabaqumbi Provincial Clinics.
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