Face to face with Gwanda’s ‘death trap’ bridge A back hoe loader retrieves a vehicle that had veered off Mtshabezi Bridge in Gwanda in this file photo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu , Gwanda Correspondent
AS motorists approach Gwanda Town from the west, they know they have to exercise extreme caution as they get across a narrowly built Mtshabezi Bridge which some have labelled the “death trap”.

Mtshabezi Bridge has earned the nickname after recording accidents that have claimed a number of lives in the past after motorists failed to navigate their way properly.

Some vehicles have also been swept away after some motorists attempted to cross the bridge when Mtshabezi River is flooded.

The bridge which can barely accommodate one vehicle at a time confuses some motorists on which vehicle has the right of way.

There is a sign directing vehicles driving from town to give way to oncoming traffic.

Residents from Gwanda have repeatedly called for the upgrading of the bridge as it is along one of the busy routes leading into town.

Mr Trust Moyo, a motorist and Gwanda resident said he drives across the bridge almost every day to get to his workplace at a nearby mine.

“I have been travelling across that bridge for several years now but I’m still uncomfortable when using it because it’s really narrow and some vehicles have fallen over. I just can’t get used to its width. I travel to work using the route which passes along the bridge and every time I get to it; I ensure that I’m composed and my mind is sober so that I can make it through. That bridge requires extreme caution in order to get across it,” he said.

“It becomes a huge inconvenience during the rainy season because the river gets flooded quickly and I have had to park and wait for several hours for the water level to subside so that I can get across the bridge and continue with my journey either home or to my workplace.

“Upgrading of that bridge is really long overdue and we can’t expect to have such a bridge on such a busy road. There is a police roadblock along that road which shows that it’s indeed a busy route.”

Another Gwanda resident, Mrs Nelly Dube said crossing Mtshabezi Bridge was one of the scariest experiences not only for motorists but passengers as well.

She said at one point she failed to properly navigate her way across the bridge and her vehicle almost tipped over.

She said a number of motorists were not comfortable using the bridge.

“Sometimes we have incidents when some motorists won’t be aware who has the right of way along that bridge especially if they are not from around. I recall at one point I had the right of way and as I was driving across the bridge another driver approached from the opposite direction. We met nearly halfway across the bridge and the driver refused to back off even though I told him that I had the right of way,” she said.

“Other drivers that also wanted to get across the bridge and were being delayed by us intervened and managed to convince the other driver that I had the right of way.

“He eventually agreed but he took quite some time as he was supposed to reverse cautiously.”

A kombi driver, Mr Mandla Dube said it was really difficult to cross Mtshabezi Bridge driving a big vehicle, especially with passengers on-board. He said the bridge needs urgent attention to make it easier for motorists to get across.

Gwanda Residents Association secretary general, Mr Bekezela Maduma said Mtshabezi Bridge was built in the 1980s and residents from the town had made several pleas to have it upgraded but to no avail.

He said there was a need for Government to allocate resources towards upgrading the bridge as it was a link between the town and a number of big mines as well as a link between the town and a number of rural communities.

“That bridge is a death trap because a number of accidents have been recorded in that area and some have been fatal.

Some motorists have failed to properly navigate their way across the bridge as it’s very narrow.

“As residents we have been talking about the need for this bridge to be upgraded without luck. Can Government hear our appeal and allocate funds towards upgrading this bridge,” he said.

“This is a busy road and business for some people comes to a standstill as vehicles can’t cross the bridge when it’s flooded.” – @DubeMatutu

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