The official handover of the long-awaited Tebe-Tebe bridge over the Umzimvubu River has triggered a political row, with both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the African National Congress (ANC) Alfred Nzo Region claiming major roles in the project’s completion. The bridge, delivered under the government’s Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme, was handed over by Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thabang Makwetla, marking the end of years of dangerous crossings for residents of Tebe-Tebe and surrounding villages.
The bridge project aims to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance access to schools, clinics, and economic opportunities for local communities. The DA welcomed the handover, describing it as a significant milestone for residents who have lived with a collapsing and unsafe structure for years. The party credited what it called “relentless advocacy” led by DA councillor Nozi Mantshongo, who consistently raised the issue in council, wrote formal submissions, and engaged Parliament to push for intervention.
According to the DA, the new bridge restores dignity and provides safer access to essential services for communities that had been “left behind for far too long.” However, the ANC Alfred Nzo Region issued a sharply-worded statement dismissing the DA’s claims as “opportunistic, unfounded, and devoid of truth.” The ANC maintains that the project was initiated solely because the ANC-led Umzimvubu Local Municipality formally submitted the need for the bridge to the Presidency as part of rural infrastructure interventions.
“Making noise on social media about matters already in progress is nothing but cheap politicking,” the ANC alleged in the statement. The ANC further argued that if the DA were genuinely committed to improving living conditions, it would address challenges in areas under DA governance, such as Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Langa, and Nkanini. The organisation emphasised that the Tebe-Tebe bridge is one of several delivered through the Presidential Welisizwe Programme, adding that four similar bridges have been completed in Ntabankulu.
Despite the political back-and-forth, local residents say the new bridge brings relief after years of risking their lives during river crossings, especially in heavy rains.
