PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has heaped praise on the work currently underway at Msikaba Bridge in Lusikisiki which forms part of the multibillion rand Wild Coast Road Project, saying it showed signs of a government at work, an economy on the rise and a country on the move.
Ramaphosa made the glowing remarks while on a site visit on September 23 to the R1.65 billion Msikaba Bridge, which is currently under construction.
“Nothing energises me more and nothing gives me greater confidence in our economy than the sight of massive infrastructure projects, of cranes covering landscapes and of giant construction sites.
“They are signs of government at work, an economy on the rise and a country on the move, Ramaphosa remarked.
He further said the N2 Wild Coast Road Project would not only spur economic activity, but also community development, service delivery and job creation.
“Another noteworthy aspect of this project is the attention to environmental impact. The N2 Wild Coast Region Biodiversity Offset Programme will result in Silaka and Mkhambathi Nature Reserves being expanded and lead to the creation of several new protected areas in the Pondoland Centre of Floral Endemism totaling approximately 20 000 hectares,” Ramaphosa added.
He further said the project would benefit both the provincial and national economy, by supporting the transportation of goods and services to the entire Southern African region.
“The project will create a trade corridor running along the Indian Ocean coastline from Cape Town through to Gqeberha, East London, Durban and Ermelo in Mpumalanga.
“With the coming into operation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January this year, I can certainly see this project playing a key role in the movement of goods and services to a continental market,” he said.
Ramaphosa further said work on the N2 Wild Coast Road Project would lead to the creation of 8 000 direct full-time jobs and between 21 000 to 28 000 indirect jobs during the construction phase.
Once the project is complete, ongoing maintenance work is anticipated to create another 900 direct full-time jobs and around 19 000 indirect jobs.
The N2 Wild Coast Road Project is made up of some 410km that stretch from the Gonubie Interchange, near East London, to near Port Edward and to the Mtamvuna River at the KwaZulu-Natal border.
Two mega bridges form part of the project, the Msikaba Bridge that Ramaphosa visited, and the Mtentu Bridge, which is some 64km away from Msikaba.
Upon completion, Mtentu Bridge will be the highest bridge in Africa and one of the longest of its kind in the world, according to Ramaphosa.
The Msikaba Bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.
