Residents of Khunda village decided not to wait for government support and repaired a damaged bridge themselves on 17 January to restore vital access to the area.
Following heavy rain in Vhembe’s rural areas in recent weeks, several bridges and roads were severely damaged and had to be closed. The community of Khunda was left stranded after floods swept away their access bridge and damaged the road.
Instead of waiting, community members devised a turnaround strategy. A week ago, the village was a hive of activity, with people from all walks of life coming together to work on the infrastructure.
One resident, Mr Zwavhudi Khubana, told Limpopo Mirror that the community could no longer access key services because of the damaged roads. He called for urgent efforts to repair the roads and bridge.
Khubana said the link between the Khunda and Matshavhawe communities, for example, was cut off after the bridge connecting the two areas was swept away. “That is a very busy road, but since it was damaged by the rains, there has been reduced movement. We appeal to partners to chip in and help us rehabilitate this bridge,” he said. He added that several other roads in the district had also been damaged.