The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport needs more funding to fix flood-damaged road infrastructure.

That was according to KZN Department of Transport MEC Siboniso Duma who said they were internalising the fact that their budget for maintenance and upgrade of road infrastructure is far too low.

“From the April 2022 floods, we needed R5 billion but we could only reprioritise R2 billion from our existing budget,” Duma said.

However, he explained that the department was exploring ways to access the National Infrastructure Fund.

“The fund will assist as we want to repair roads and bridges damaged by floods across the province and in deep rural areas,” Duma said.

He said they would collaborate with the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd, eThekwini Municipality, other municipalities and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to turn the situation around.

Duma mentioned a sinkhole near Ohlange Bridge, situated between Sibaya Casino and uMhlanga.

“With KwaZulu-Natal being the strategic logistics hub, we have noticed that supply chain management is disrupted each time we have heavy rainfall. Access to our ports, Richards Bay and Durban through our road network is severely affected resulting in congestion on our roads and accidents involving trucks,” Duma said.

He said the rail network becomes the best option under the circumstances.

“We will be part of efforts aimed at the revitalisation of the freight sector to ensure that the large freight cargo volume that is exported and imported through the ports of Durban and Richards Bay is moved through the rail network,” Duma explained.

“We are aligning ourselves with the work being undertaken following an announcement made by the national government to divide Transnet Freight Rail into a Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) and a Transnet Freight Rail Operating Company (TFROC).

“In particular, a dedicated team from the provincial department of transport will work with the national department of transport and other key stakeholders such as TRIM and TFROC as we undertake this work.

“As guided by the national government, TRIM will manage, operate and maintain the rail infrastructure while opening the market to third parties together with TFROC.”

Duma added that this arrangement will ensure revenue generation to fund the rehabilitation of the railway network.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za