BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
SHISELWENI– The newly completed Kamzizi Hybrid Footbridge in Sandleni Inkhundla is designed to last up to 50 years with minimal maintenance, introducing a different approach to pedestrian bridge construction under the Microprojects Programme.
The 92-metre footbridge uses a hybrid design that combines suspension and suspended elements, distinguishing it from the conventional suspension footbridges previously constructed under the programme.
Microprojects Programme Director Sibusiso Mbingo said the hybrid construction is one of the features that sets the Kamzizi footbridge apart from the bridges built through the programme since 2017.The bridge is expected to benefit 800 people in the Sandleni community and took about two months to complete.
The hybrid design allows the bridge to combine the structural advantages of suspension and suspended systems, providing stability while reducing the amount of maintenance required over its lifespan. This makes the structure suitable for a rural crossing where communities need a reliable pedestrian route that can remain functional for many years with limited maintenance.
Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima said schoolchildren are among those expected to benefit from safer and more reliable access across the crossing, particularly when travelling between their homes and schools.
He said the bridge will also improve access for other community members travelling to the main road and nearby clinic, making it easier for residents to reach essential services and transport connections.
The Microprojects Programme is also set to expand its footbridge programme next year, with nine more footbridges planned for construction in different regions. The projects will extend pedestrian infrastructure to more communities and continue the programme’s partnership with Engineers in Action.
The Kamzizi project forms part of a partnership between the Microprojects Programme and Engineers in Action, which has delivered pedestrian bridges in rural communities since 2017.
With Kamzizi, the number of footbridges constructed through the programme has reached 43. The programme has also expanded its plans, with nine additional footbridges expected to be constructed in different regions next year.
The new hybrid design therefore marks a shift from the conventional suspension bridges previously used, while the programme continues expanding pedestrian infrastructure in communities across Eswatini.
#EswatiniPositiveNews #EPN #Infrastructure #Development #Footbridges #Shiselweni
