KEY POINTS
- The Eastern Cape High Court ordered a municipality to build an access road.
- Residents have suffered for years, crossing a river by foot to access essential services.
- The municipality blamed financial constraints, but the court found its inaction unlawful.
Imagine having to wade through a river just to buy groceries or see a doctor. That’s been the reality for residents of Nogqala Village in the Eastern Cape, who have been stranded without an access road for decades.
Residents had waited several years while making multiple requests to their municipality to complete an unfinished bridge and construct a road that would connect them to surrounding towns.
The residents were left with no other option except to pursue legal action when numerous empty promises failed to materialize.
The Eastern Cape High Court at Mthatha handed down an order that required AB Xuma Local Municipality to swiftly start building the road access.
The court also demanded that the municipality provide frequent progress updates to the community. Acting Judge AS Zono called the municipality’s inaction both unconstitutional and unlawful, emphasizing that citizens have a right to basic infrastructure.
The impact of neglect on daily life
For years, hardship has shaped the villagers’ lives. Heavy rainfall during seasonal periods causes the river to rise, thus blocking students from attending school.
Some are forced to stay home for weeks at a time, often leading to school dropouts. Business owners also struggle because transporting goods in and out of the village is a logistical nightmare.
But perhaps the most heartbreaking consequence of the lack of a road is what happens when someone dies.
Without access to proper roads, families have had to carry their deceased loved ones across the river on foot to reach burial sites. It’s a painful reality that residents say has been ignored for too long.
The municipality left the bridge, initially built in 2021, incomplete, creating a hazard for both people and animals. The villagers said their numerous requests to complete the project went unanswered.
Municipality blames lack of funds, but court orders immediate action
In its defense, the municipality argued that financial constraints prevented it from completing the road. The municipality appointed a contractor to finish the bridge but admitted that it had not planned any work for the road itself.
The court, however, rejected this excuse, ordering the municipality to prioritize the project.
Judge Zono acknowledged that the completion of the bridge marked progress. However, the lack of an access road continued to violate the villagers’ basic rights.
The court order requires the officials to initiate construction works, so Nogqala Village residents can finally escape their stranded state.
The local inhabitants maintain hope that essential infrastructure will arrive after their years of dedicated fight.
The question remains whether the municipality will comply or whether more legal battles will arise to enforce the court’s decision.
