The eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday approved a R50 million Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study towards the construction of a second access road to the Port of Durban to deal with traffic congestion.
This comes as the Durban harbour battles to find a permanent solution to the major traffic congestion at the Bayhead Road to the port.
Opposition parties on Tuesday welcomed the move, but said that progress had been too slow and the traffic was costing eThekwini’s economy millions while damaging road infrastructure.
A report tabled by the City requested authority from the executive committee to approve a new memorandum of agreement with Transnet National Ports Authority for a joint implementation of preliminary design and environmental impact assessment for a second access road to the Port of Durban within eThekwini Municipality.
“On July 31, 2018 the municipal council granted authority for a joint study to be commissioned between Transnet and the municipality.”
The report said that the Port of Durban was a key national and municipal strategic asset that generates heavy vehicle activity daily.
“The Port of Durban is crucial to national and local economic and industrialisation aspirations. The MOA will be three years from the date of signature by the party signing last in time.
The project is estimated at R50 million excluding VAT and will be shared by Transnet and eThekwini Municipality on a 50/50 basis.”
eThekwini’s City manager Musa Mbhele said the project being undertaken was a second access road to the Port of Durban. “The feasibility study was done some years ago and now we are getting closer to the road being developed by doing the environmental impact assessment.”
IFP exco member Mdu Nkosi said he supports the development of a second access road to the port.
“I don’t know how many trucks pass through the Bayhead Road but it is causing massive damage to our roads and infrastructure. I am all for the development of a second road. However, we need to consider collecting revenue from these trucks that are damaging our roads. At the end of the day it’s the City of eThekwini roads that are being damaged and it is only tollgate fees that they are paying.”
Nkosi added that he understands the importance of truck drivers but in the end the City also has to worry about the infrastructure.
“I’m fully behind the environmental impact assessment as this will help reduce truck congestion.”
DA member of Exco Andre Beetge said the truck congestion issues have been going on for years and the second point of entry to the port needs to be prioritised.
“It’s well documented that we have congestion around the port. You can start from Edwin Swales, Sydney Road, Bayhead Road and all the way to the terminal to island view. Residents have a problem and motorists are affected as it’s all in one direction. These trucks sometimes can stand waiting to get to the port for hours because there’s only one entrance.”
Beetge said he supported the second entry point, adding it was frustrating that the process was taking too long.
“The municipality conducted a feasibility study some years ago and now they are undertaking an environmental assessment that will cost another R50m and take three years. The process needs to be expedited as we need to reduce the amount of trucks on the roads. They are causing congestion, damaging the roads and also pose a danger to members of the public.”
ActionSA KZN leader Zwakele Mncwango said he believed that such a project was necessary.
“I understand that the project is 50/50 between the City and Transnet, however, my concern is the delay. There was a feasibility assessment that was signed some years back and the issue is the agreement has expired and now they are asking for more money in 2024 for an environmental assessment.
“The issue is where this money is coming from, it’s something that we will monitor but we are concerned about delays as this project is taking years and they are still doing a study.
“How long will it take to actually do the construction and develop the road?”
The Mercury