Eastern Cape will soon be home to Africa’s tallest mega-bridge

In four months’ time, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) will start construction on “what is expected to be Africa’s tallest bridge.”

The Mtentu Bridge will stretch across a river of the same name in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela municipality in the Eastern Cape, and at its peak will stand at a total of 223 metres tall.

The immense project has a confirmed budget of R4.05 billion, with R1.8 billion earmarked for local SMMEs (small, medium, and micro enterprises).

The main tender was then awarded to the Chinese Communications Construction Company-MECSA joint venture, after it was canceled in May and re-advertised for fresh bidding, said Sanral.

“Construction is expected to start in March 2023, creating 2,500 full-time equivalent jobs,” said the roads agency.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula also confirmed that he is considering a request from the Eastern Cape provincial government for the Mtentu Bridge to be named after Khumani Anderson Ganyile, a “local political legend.”

Msikaba Bridge. Credit: Dissing+Weitling

N2 Wild Coast Road Project

The new Mtentu bridge is another initiative of the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) Project and will be the second “mega-bridge” on the 410km route running from the Gonubie Interchange in East London to the Mtamvuna River on the border of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

This road connects the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga – running through the main hubs of Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha, Durban, and Ermelo, said Sanral.

Both the Mtentu as well as the Msikaba mega-bridges were designed by Dissing+Weitling to “have as little impact on the precious landscape as possible,” said the company.

Once complete, the Mtentu bridge will form part of a 112-kilometre section of new highway between Port St Johns and Port Edward and the entire N2WCR project will boast “about seven interchanges, and various access roads would ensure a faster and safer travel experience for local and international tourists around the Wild Coast,” said Sanral.

According to minister Mbalula, the project will create approximately 8,000 direct full-time jobs with a wage bill of around R750 million, and between 21,000-28,000 indirect jobs.