THE Nelson Mandela Legacy Bridge and River Valley project was launched in Mvezo in Eastern Cape yesterday, the Department of Rural Development said.

The project involves the building of a bridge over the Mbashe River and a 10km tarred road.

The road will link Mvezo, the hometown of former president Nelson Mandela, with the N2 and cuts the travelling distance to East London, Mthatha and Dutywa.

President Jacob Zuma arrived at 10am for the launch, his spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said.

The Rural Development Department was funding the bridge, which it said had so far seen an investment of R127-million, and the Eastern Cape department of roads and public works was funding the road.

Several other government departments and private sector companies were also involved.

"The bridge and the road will serve as economic catalysts in the area," the department said in a statement.

The bridge was 53% complete, and was expected to be finished by January 2013.

Mvezo is a small village on the banks of the Mbashe River.

The project started in September 2011 and had led to certain skills transfers that may empower local communities.

At least 102 job opportunities were created, 18 of which were for women, the department said.

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Fri May 24 15:43:16 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 12, 2012

MommaC

I do love Madiba but naming absolutely everything after him is making geography a bit difficult to keep up with. Is he really the ONLY person worth naming sh!t after?
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Jul 12, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Another bridge named after Mandela?????
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Jul 12, 2012

MGEEZ

This is just politicking!!!! People in this area do not need a abridge to connect them to the N2 (Many of them do not have cars for crying out loud). They need sanitation; waterborne toilets; schools etc!!! This notion of behaving as though Mandela is some god and therefore should be praised is becoming problematic and one day even the youth league will revolt against it; watch this space.
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Jul 12, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

MGEEZ
I hear you my brother but remeber the provision of sewer and sanitation is the role of local government Chief, Rural Department must develope rural areas and in this case they are providing the bridge to develop the rural village. My issue here is why name another bridge after mandela?
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Jul 12, 2012

ndhandhazi

So MVEZO is at KANDLA or whaaaaaaaaat????????
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Jul 12, 2012

lindsay

publicity stunt there is already a bridge at Mbhashe and this one is for what people maybe
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Jul 12, 2012

K2A

@ MommaC cabanga seku khona i bridge named after zuma - Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma bridge imagine.....Gedleyihlekisa squatter camp lol when they finished that bridge they must come fix lama potholes this side...
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Jul 12, 2012

MGEEZ

@K2A
@ MommaC cabanga seku khona i bridge named after zuma - Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma bridge imagine.....Gedleyihlekisa squatter camp lol when they finished that bridge they must come fix lama potholes this side...
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It's coming pretty soon!!!

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Jul 12, 2012

Mellow

MANDELA again?
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Jul 12, 2012

MGEEZ

@ndhandhazi
So MVEZO is at KANDLA or whaaaaaaaaat????????
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No; Mvezo is in the rural Transkei in the Eastern cape and inkandla is in Rural KZN (apparently now is not rural any more, but resembles a mini new york).

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