An eight-month delay in temporary repairs to the M4 on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast robbed businesses of millions of rand and threatened the region’s summer tourist season.
The highway, which was closed after being damaged by the April floods, connects Durban's inner city to Ballito in the north and passes through the holiday hotspots of Umhlanga and Umdloti. Motorists now have to access the latter and areas north of the town via the N2.
The reintroduction of toll fees in February, while an alternative route is unavailable, is expected be a double blow for industry in the region.
Businesses affected include the Ballito Lifestyle Centre, Ballito Junction, The Capital Zimbali and the Zimbali Lakes development.
iLembe Chamber of Commerce CEO Cobus Oelofse, speaking on behalf of these developments, said Zimbali Lakes has reported sales losses of more than R70m.
“The impact of the closure of the M4 is significant across a number of sectors, not least tourism and real estate, but especially retail, where year-on-year trading gains have largely been eliminated. Some national chains have reported sales declining by up to 10% and smaller hospitality businesses [have put the figure at] up to 45%,” he said.
“The M4 is an important commuting route, north and south ... A further delay in temporary repairs will be devastating to businesses and those who depend on these businesses.”
The north coast is one of the few areas in the province where seawater quality remains good and Oelofse said this would have been a golden opportunity for businesses to recover over the holiday season.
“This opportunity is, however, scuppered by an eight-month delay. This will be the third year in a row where hospitality and tourism trade is severely disrupted.”
Oelofse said, as predicted, the major consequence was the impact on traffic volumes and congestion.
“This was exacerbated by the influx of day visitors from the south. The KwaDukuza traffic department assisted greatly in alleviating some of the pressure, especially since traffic signals were not functional during load-shedding.
“The reality though, is that the trade of a great number of businesses remains significantly impacted because of the scenic route onto the KZN north coast remaining closed. The N2 restrictions over the Umhlali River caused significant congestion, with freight transport especially being impacted by ongoing delays due to the national road being restricted to one lane.”
Oelofse emphasised that the reintroduction of toll fees by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) did not mean the roads had been repaired.
The consultant tender for the N2 Umhlali Bridge was awarded, while the construction tender is still under evaluation, with the planned date for award being January 27.
The consultant and construction tender awards for the M4 Tongaat Bridge were still under legal review.
“The chamber wrote to newly appointed Sanral CEO Reginald Demana on January 17, requesting the reintroduction of tolls be delayed until the M4 alternative route is fully accessible and N2 restrictions lifted, allowing for full use of this national toll road.
“The N2 is a critical freight transport route to and from the industrial heartland of our district, the Isithebe Industrial Estate, and beyond. The reintroduction of toll fees while [the M4] is unavailable and the national toll road is not functioning will be a double blow for our local industry,” said Oelofse.
KwaDukuza ward 22 councillor Privi Makhan said the party had asked Sanral to consider an exemption fee extension for Umvoti for the duration of the repair project.
Sanral did not respond to queries.
Meanwhile, the region continues to count its losses.
Nelson Mandela University tourism lecturer Rosemary Matikiti-Manyevere said holidaymakers take accessibility into account when planning trips.
“This relates to the ease of reaching a certain destination, its facilities and infrastructure, as well as the time and effort required to get there. Typically, a key element influencing travellers’ choices is the accessibility of a place,” she said.
“Poor roads, closed highways and damaged roads all considerably deter or frighten away tourists from visiting that location or attraction.”
Matikiti-Manyevere said while tourism contributes enormously to KwaZulu-Natal’s economy, the pandemic, last year’s floods and the civil unrest in July 2021 left the industry struggling.
• R635,000: The amount it cost the private sector to fix the R102 and R103.
• Four months: The time it will take to temporarily fix the damaged infrastructure.
— DAMAGE IN NUMBERS
“To revitalise the tourism sector in KwaZulu-Natal, local government, non-profit organisations and the department of tourism must collaborate to upgrade and restore damaged infrastructure at tourist destinations and attractions,” she said.
“More work needs to go into developing and positioning KwaZulu-Natal as a tourism brand that can be recognised domestically and globally as a must-visit destination.”
In September, the body corporate of Nguni, a 44-unit gated housing estate bordering the eastern boundary of the M4, sent a lawyer’s letter to Sanral and the provincial transport department, demanding the immediate repair of a damaged road embankment.
“If the road is opened without fixing the embankment, the carriage of trucks or any vehicles over that section will lead to collapse of the road and the formation of a sinkhole, endangering the Nguni complex and all lives in occupation of the Nguni property beneath the embankment. The lives of all those travelling upon the road would be equally endangered,” property lawyers Nochumsohn & Teper said in the letter.
The body corporate said failure to fix the embankment in the dry season was gross negligence.
More work needs to go into developing and positioning KwaZulu-Natal as a tourism brand that can be recognised domestically and globally as a must-visit destination
— Rosemary Matikiti-Manyevere, tourism lecturer, Nelson Mandela University
“There is now greater risk of further erosion and damage in the forthcoming rainy season.”
The M4 temporary fix was assigned to Sanral.
Last year Sanral eastern region project manager Trevor Zumani said contracts for the rehabilitation of the M4 Uthongathi bridge and N2 Umhlali River bridge would be awarded in January.
He said construction was expected to take four months on the latter and two months on the former.
The provincial transport department did not respond to a request for comment.
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