The Stellenbosch Municipality has set aside R16 million, in the 2023/2024 financial year, for a new pedestrian bridge that will be constructed over a 15-month period, said Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager at Stellenbosch Municipality. Construction of the bridge will begin in October 2023, he said.
Gary Boshoff, director of community and protection services at Stellenbosch Municipality, announced the bridge is planned to be built between Kayamandi and Cloetesville at the 2023 Integrated Development Plan (IDP)/Budget public participation meeting, for the Kayamandi wards 12, 13, 14 and 15 on 12 April.
A community member addressing Gary Boshoff, Director of Community and Protection Services for Stellenbosch Municipality, at the 2023 IDP/Budget public participation meeting. PHOTO: Joseph Bracken
Bridging the gap
The bridge will extend over the R304, as well as a river and railway line, explained Grobbelaar.
“The purpose of the bridge will be to ensure a safe crossing for pedestrians, [particularly] school children and residents [who utilise] public transport [and] are dropped off or collected next to the side of this busy road,” said Grobbelaar.
Broken promises
Community members have been raising the issue of pedestrian safety for a long time, and every year since 2008 at the IDP meetings, the municipality has promised the bridge will be built, said Thoko Zani, a community leader in Kayamandi Ward 15, in an interview with SMF news. “The community was very upset about [the failure to deliver],” he added.
“Planning for the bridge started in 2017 but was hampered by the Covid-19 lockdown and a lack of funding. There were also long negotiations with various stakeholders as the bridge runs over a provincial road,” explained Grobbelaar.
The proposed location where the pedestrian bridge between Kayamandi and Cloetesville will be built. PHOTO/ Screenshot: Google Maps
Pedestrian dangers
Currently the pedestrian route is not safe, and children are in danger of being hit when crossing the tracks, said Zani.
The children have to walk over a pipe to get over the river, and when the river floods the students struggle to get to school, said David Robyn, a Kayamandi community member who escorts his son to school during the week. “It’s very dangerous,” said Robyn.
The route that students and pedestrians take from Kayamandi to Cloetesville. The children have to cross over a pipe to get over the river, and when the river floods the students struggle to get to school, said David Robyn a Kayamandi community member who escorts his son to school during the week “It’s very dangerous”, he added. PHOTO: Joseph Bracken
“In the meantime, speed cameras are installed on the road, pedestrian crossings are available, and Traffic Services regularly has stop-and-go systems in place, especially during the morning rush hour,” said Grobbelaar.
The entrance from the road to the R304 from Kayamandi. The bridge will extend over the R304, as well as a river and railway line. This was confirmed by Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager at Stellenbosch Municipality. PHOTO: Joseph Bracken