South African city spent R70 million on a bridge which is not even halfway completed five years later

The Nelson Mandela Drive Bridge project started in 2021 with a budget of R50 million. Five years later, costs exceed R70 million, and the project is less than 50% complete.

Victor Mothemela, ActionSA’s Capricorn District Mayoral Candidate, raised the alarm about suspected cronyism and financial mismanagement in the Polokwane project.

“What was meant to be important public infrastructure has degenerated into an apparent R70 million cash cow for politically connected individuals,” he said.

Despite the R70 million in public funds injected into the Nelson Mandela Drive Bridge project, it remains less than 50% complete.

This failure, Mothemela argued, is a result of the numerous contractors appointed to complete the project.

“The current appointed contractor, allegedly a close friend of the Polokwane Mayor, is the fourth since the project’s inception,” he said.

He added that there are reports that the contractor has abruptly vanished from the site, leaving local labourers and subcontractors unpaid.

“Despite these red flags, no corrective action has been taken by the municipality, nor has there been any attempt to blacklist the delinquent contractors,” he said.

“This points to an entrenched culture of protecting politically aligned insiders at the expense of accountability and public service delivery.”

ActionSA called for an independent forensic audit into the procurement processes, focusing on the appointment of the four contractors.

Mothemela also requested a detailed financial reconciliation of how the R70 million was spent on the Nelson Mandela Drive Bridge project.

“We demand that the failed contractors be blacklisted from doing business with the state again,” he said.

The party also wants the local labourers and subcontractors to receive their outstanding wages, which were not paid.

“The mayor must account for their alleged personal relationship with the vanished contractor,” Mothemela said.

“He must also explain how a R50 million project was allowed to stall while over-allocating R20 million in additional public funds.”

Long history of problems with the Nelson Mandela Drive Bridge project

The Nelson Mandela Drive Bridge project, which includes the Sand River Bridge, has had a long history of failures.

The Sand River Bridge forms part of the busy Nelson Mandela Drive, and there was a risk that it could give way under the weight of heavy vehicles.

The Municipality prioritised the construction of this part of the Drive with the aim of redirecting truck traffic away from Pietersburg’s central business district.

However, the project has experienced numerous delays, partly because of disputes between the municipality and the contractors.

One dispute arose when the wrong-sized support beams were ordered. No one wants to accept responsibility for it.

Support beams were manufactured and delivered according to the engineer’s plans, but the correct lengths were never verified.

In December 2023, the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) gave the municipality 30 days to resolve the dispute.

Because the Municipality failed to do so, the committee conducted another oversight visit in January 2024. There was little progress.

Political parties have warned that the incomplete, exposed structure poses a major safety risk under the weight of heavy daily logistics vehicles.

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Sand River Bridge construction photos

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