Potholes, outages and decay shadow EMLM infrastructure projects

Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality has highlighted progress on two infrastructure projects in Ward 1 and Sterkstroom, even as communities across the municipality continue grappling with pothole-ridden roads, infrastructure decay and recurring power outages.

The Municipality announced this week that the Mkhonjana River Bridge project in Ward 1 is now approximately 85% complete and running well ahead of schedule.

According to the Municipality, the project began in February 2026 as an eight-month construction project, but work is already around five months ahead of schedule. Officials say the bridge could be completed by the end of June or early July.

The Mayoral Committee conducted an oversight visit to the construction site this week to assess progress and address any challenges affecting the project.

The bridge was prioritised after disasters damaged the river crossing several years ago, severely affecting accessibility for local communities. Learners were among those hardest hit, with many school children struggling to cross safely to get to school.

Executive Mayor Councillor Madoda Papiyana praised the progress and said the Municipality remained committed to improving infrastructure and service delivery.

“For the last three financial years, our Municipality has spent 100% of its budget allocation. This is the most improved Municipality in this country, and we, as the political leadership, will continue providing the best support to Municipal administration,” said Papiyana.

Meanwhile, municipal executives also visited Sterkstroom this week to inspect progress on the New Street road construction project, which the Municipality says is now 96% complete.

The Municipality said it intends conducting a combined handover of completed municipal projects in Sterkstroom once all outstanding work has been finalised.

While the projects have been welcomed by some residents, frustration continues to grow across towns within Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality over the broader state of infrastructure.

In Komani, Sterkstroom, Molteno, Dordrecht and other towns, residents continue raising concerns over deteriorating roads, growing potholes, damaged infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply and ongoing maintenance backlogs.

Several communities have also experienced repeated electricity outages in recent months, while damaged roads and neglected infrastructure remain a visible concern in many areas.

The latest bridge and road projects are expected to improve conditions in affected communities, particularly in Ward 1 where accessibility has been a long-standing issue, but broader infrastructure challenges across the municipality continue placing pressure on residents and motorists alike.