NTABANKULU- The long-awaited Dikidikini Bridge and Access Road Project valued at more than R50 Million has been handed over to a new contractor after the first company failed to execute the work.
The handover ceremony was held on 09 October 2026 in Dikidikini village in Ntabankulu.
The project is a multi-stakeholder partnership between the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development(DLRRD),the Development Bank of Southern Africa(DBSA) as the implementing agency, Ntabankulu Local Municipality and traditional leadership structures.
Depury Minister of Agriculture Rosemary Nokuzola Capa led the sod-turning ceremony for the project that is expected to improve access and connectivity for residents who have struggled to access essential services due to lack of a bridge and adequate road infrastructure.
Alfred Nzo District Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr. Tsileng Sobuthongo said for the longest time people of Dikidikini had a challenge of crossing the river using unsafe measures.
“We are here as the municipality to hand over the contract of building this bridge but we did once before. The construction company that was given the contract demonstrated incapacity and was not able to do the job that led the DBSA as implementing agency of this project to terminate the contract,” Sobuthongo said.
Sobuthongo emphasised that, the project is valued at R50,3 Million and the municipality is now handing it over to another trustworthy contractor that passed another procurement process.
Executive mayor further highlighted that the community of Dikidikini has been cut off from governmental benefits because government has not been able to access them.
“This community has no governmental benefits because government has not been able to access them. They never received RDP houses and water and ambulances that can get in to take people for check-ups. They never experienced that,” she said.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Rosemary Nokuzola Capa said this river will be crossed through a very good bridge and a well-structured bridge.
Capa added that, today is a big day as the area remembers a tragedy that happened between these mountains at Mowa where people were buried under the soil and were never found including their cows.
In addition, she said Ntabankulu is a place that is very agricultural rich but not well noticed and all things that were problems are now solved. She said there was a vision of building this bridge but it could not progress because roads that will transport all building materials needed to be improved first to be able to transport large infrastructure equipment.
“Those that come from Nquza Hill can see that tents are here and that gives an idea that this place is accessible to accommodate big trucks with equipment,” Capa said.
Residents of Dikidikini Solongile Nandiwe and Phendula Qukulu said it has been ages without a bridge.“It’s been ages without a bridge. We grew up here seeing people being flushed away by this river. We also use drums to cross this river and our children cross this river and even coffins cross this river,” they said.
They said they are happy that government will build the bridge but it has been promised for ages and they will only believe by seeing the results.
The Department said once completed the bridge will reconnect Dikidikini to essential services and unlock access to RDP houses, water and healthcare that the community has been denied for years.
Leave a Reply