Mthatha is going to get a facelift that will see the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality build a series of overhead pedestrian bridges in a bid to deal with congestion.
A plan drawn up by the municipality also includes building new road bridges, an upmarket artisan workshop to accommodate self-employed artisans and a clean Mthatha River to attract tourism and investments.
According to the plan, the municipality also wants to construct at least two park-and-pay facilities, as well as public transport drop-and-go lanes and zones along the roads to address congestion.
It also hopes to install street level cameras with night vision and smoke detectors to monitor “mysterious” fires that have gutted more than 10 buildings in the CBD since 2021.
However, the plan has been dismissed as far-fetched and too ambitious by some critics.
But KSD mayor Nyaniso Nelani is excited about the plan.
“It’s [plan] very exciting. They [listed projects] can be ambitious, but it gives a clear direction.”
He said the plan would serve as a blueprint on how to transform Mthatha to a smart city.
According to the plan, two overhead pedestrian crossings would be built where Owen Street intersects with Sutherland Street, which links to the R61 and Nelson Mandela Drive which connects to the N2.
“There is a need for a dedicated space that is conducive to smooth pedestrian mobility.
“Prevention of congestion of vehicles and pedestrians at crossing points requires high volume pedestrian crossing infrastructure,” it says.
The municipality is also planning to build another bridge over the Mthatha River connecting to Harrow Road and suburbs as well as the N2 on the northern side of Mthatha towards Kokstad.
Another bridge connecting to the CBD on the eastern side of the town is also in the plan.
It would connect New Brighton residential area over the Sidwadweni stream.
The municipality also hopes to widen Chatham Street to activate it as “an activity road to unlock development, safety and accessibility”.
Park-and-pay facilities [parkades] are also in the investment plan — one on municipal land measuring 3,302m² on the eastern side of the town and another on 5,982m² land on the western side — to address limited parking and congestion.
The light industrial artisans’ workshop, meanwhile, would come with parking space to accommodate artisans who are currently operating from shipping containers in the CBD and open land along the Mthatha River and “are contributing to congestion with activities that are detrimental to the natural environment”.
On the other hand, the Mthatha River was a natural feature that supported the ecosystem and had potential to attract investments through tourism.
However, “the current state of Mthatha River banks within Mthatha is attracting thuggery and is a safety concern both socially and environmentally”.
Municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said they would use the plan to apply for funding of the project.
“The plan has to be optimistic; the municipality has that responsibility of planning as per the constitution for economic and social development of its area.”
But Mthatha businessman and Eastern Cape Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati accused KSD of having its priorities twisted.
He said the voice of investors would be the deciding factor in whether those projects would ever see the light of day.
“I don’t know if their priorities are correct. They should be focusing on fighting crime and bringing back health inspectors to monitor spaza shops.
“It [plan] seems too ambitious and we don’t know anything about it including whether there is a clear budget for it.
“My suggestion is that they convene an investment conference and call for proposals and not come with something they have already agreed on by themselves,” he said.
KSD councillor and Mthatha Ratepayers and Residents’ Association spokesperson Madyibi Ngxekana also criticised the plan, saying the municipality was renowned for making empty promises.
He said the plan was too far-fetched and overly ambitious and that “nothing is going to happen as usual”.
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