Construction on one of the continent’s highest bridges is getting under way again along the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The ZAR4.05 billion Mtentu bridge will be 223m at its highest point, with a main span of 260m, also making it one of the longest main-span, balanced cantilever bridges in the world, according to Business Tech.

A joint venture of the China Communications Construction Company and MECSA Construction will build the bridge. Construction is expected to take 50 months and should be completed by the end of 2027.

The structure forms part of the South African National Road Agency’s N2 Wild Coast Road programme, stretching from East London to Eastern Cape’s border with KwaZulu-Natal.

The contract was suspended in 2018 owing to community dissatisfaction and the scope of the new contract has been expanded to include the upgrade of a provincial road linking the future N2 to Flagstaff and construction of three new community access roads.

The project is expected to create about 1 800 full-time equivalent jobs

It is supported by South Africa’s Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission and is one of the government’s 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects.

15 August 2023
Image: Unsplash