---
title: "Hundreds stranded in Eastern Cape village after bridge collapses amid torrential rain"
description: "Many people are pleading with government for help as they cannot go to work and learners will be at home until the bridge is repaired."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "GROUNDUP"
author: "Yonela Ngqukuvana"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/yonela-ngqukuvana/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-15-hundreds-stranded-in-eastern-cape-village-after-bridge-collapses-amid-torrential-rain/"
published: "2023-02-15T15:41:55"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 396
---

# Hundreds stranded in Eastern Cape village after bridge collapses amid torrential rain

> Many people are pleading with government for help as they cannot go to work and learners will be at home until the bridge is repaired.

By Yonela Ngqukuvana · Published 15 February 2023, 17:41 SAST

## Key points
- Hundreds of people in Lupapasi Village, Eastern Cape, have been cut off from the town after the main road was damaged and the uNgqeqe bridge collapsed in torrential rains last week. People can't go to work, schools are closed and local hospitals and clinics have suspended services. Director Nqezo said they are pleading with the government to resolve the issues swiftly. Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for the provincial transport department, said emergency teams have been dispatched to assess the damage and advise. Steps will also be taken to approach the national government for possible support. Alfred Klaas, a taxi operator in Lupapasi, said he can't work and provide for his family due to this disaster.
- Hundreds of people in Lupapasi Village, Eastern Cape, have been cut off from the town after the main road was damaged and uNgqeqe bridge collapsed.
- No fatalities or major injuries were reported in this region.
- Local hospitals, clinics and schools had to suspend services and most learners were still at home on Wednesday 15 February due to lack of a safe alternative way to get to school.
- The Eastern Cape Department of Transport is committing to work with its partners to ensure that communities that are disconnected are reconnected as a matter of priority and will approach the national government for possible support.

## Content

Officials in the Eastern Cape Department of Transport say they may approach the national government to help fix collapsed bridges and other infrastructure damaged during torrential rains and flash flooding last week.

Hundreds of people in Lupapasi Village, which falls under the Emalahleni Local Municipality, have been cut off from the town after the main road was damaged and uNgqeqe bridge collapsed on 8 February. No fatalities or major injuries were reported in this region.

*Read more in Daily Maverick*: [Eastern Cape floods - municipality ignored repeated calls over 23 years to upgrade stormwater drains](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-14-eastern-cape-floods-municipality-ignored-repeated-calls-over-23-years-to-upgrade-stormwater-drains/)

According to ward committee member, Director Nqezo, many people and livestock were unable to return home once the bridge had collapsed. Local hospitals, clinics and schools also had to suspend services. Most learners were still at home on Wednesday 15 February because there is no safe alternative way to get to their schools.

“I woke up at 5am \[on 8 February\] for a jog as I’m training for a marathon. I got the shock of my life when I got to the bridge in such a disaster. We have never seen anything like this ever since the bridge was built in 1989. We don’t know what to do,” Nqezo said.

Nqezo said they are pleading with the government to resolve the issues swiftly so villagers can get to clinics, schools, work and so that taxis can operate again. “We would appreciate it if the government could speed up the process by sending the army to fix the bridge.”

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Alfred Klaas is a taxi operator in Lupapasi. “I can’t work and I survive by transporting people. Now I won’t be able to provide and feed my family,” he said.

Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for the provincial transport department, said that the damage caused by torrential rains continues to cause havoc in parts of the Eastern Cape as many roads and bridges have been damaged.

“The department is committing to work with its partners, Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs \[and disaster management\], to ensure that communities that are disconnected are reconnected as a matter of priority.

“We have already dispatched emergency teams to urgently assess the damage and advise. Steps will also be taken to approach the national government for possible support,” said Binqose. **DM**

*First published by*[*GroundUp*](https://www.groundup.org.za/article/hundreds-in-lupapasi-village-stranded-after-bridge-collapses-in-heavy-downpour/)*.*

![Image](https://thirdpartyhits.groundup.org.za/counter/hit/dailymaverick/2023-02-15-hundreds-in-lupapasi-village-stranded-after-bridge-collapses-in-heavy-downpour/)