The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has started repairing seven bridges in the City of Tshwane. The bridges are on provincial routes, the department said.
The start of the project was marked with a sod-turning ceremony on Tuesday. Tshwane’s MMC for Roads and Transport, Councillor Tlangi Mogale, attended the event, according to SAnews.
“Our provincial road infrastructure is essential to the movement of people, goods and services. Through this rehabilitation project, we are taking practical steps to preserve our bridges, improve their structural condition and ensure that they continue to serve our communities safely and efficiently,” Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela said.
The department said the work aims to restore the strength of the seven bridges. It wants to bring them up to an acceptable standard. It said this would keep them safe for motorists, pedestrians and nearby communities.
According to the department, the project follows its Bridge Management System. Each bridge will get repairs and maintenance that match its own condition and needs.
The department said the work includes fixing bridge rails and parapets, painting steel structures and replacing bridge joints. Crews will also seal cracks and repair damaged concrete.
Some bridges and road approaches will be widened, the department said. Bridge decks and approaches will be resurfaced, and guardrails will be put in or improved. New road pavement layers will be built where they are needed.
The bridges are in the Tshwane Regional District and in areas to the northwest of Tshwane, the department said.
Diale-Tlabela said looking after bridges is an important part of the province’s wider road programme. She said commuters, businesses and freight operators depend on these routes.
“By rehabilitating these seven structures, we are investing in the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure and helping to ensure that our roads remain dependable for the communities and businesses that rely on them every day,” the MEC said.
The government said the project is also meant to support local economic development. It said the construction work could bring economic opportunities to the area.
“Infrastructure development is not only about building new roads and bridges; it is equally about maintaining and extending the useful life of the assets we already have,” Diale-Tlabela said.
The MEC asked road users to stay alert and drive carefully near the building sites. She said temporary traffic measures may be used to allow the work and protect road users and workers.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SAnews.gov.za. Image: GCIS via SAnews.gov.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.