Ludondolo - President Jacob Zuma will this morning officially unveil the Nelson Mandela Legacy Bridge and River Valley projects in Ludondolo village in the Eastern Cape.
The 140-m Nelson Mandela Legacy Bridge and the 10-km tarred road are an initiative of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, Transport Department and the Eastern Cape Department of Roads and Public Works.
The bridge is currently being constructed across the Mbashe River between Mvezo village, the birthplace of former President Nelson Mandela and Ludondolo village in the Mbashe Municipality.
The Mandela Legacy Bridge and the new tarred road will link Mvezo village to the N2 highway.
Prior to the construction of the bridge, access to high schools was a challenge for the children in Mbashe and Mvezo.
In Ludondolo, there is a primary and junior secondary school, while in Mvezo, there is only a primary school.
Learners risk their lives by crossing the river to access education at Ludondolo Junior Secondary School, while other parents opt to pay about R200 to R400 per month towards lodgings in Ludondolo and this amount excludes food.
Parents with deeper pockets take their children to secondary schools in Mthatha. With the construction of the bridge, access to secondary education will be improved significantly.
Children from Mvezo will now be able to walk or cycle to the junior secondary school in Ludondolo -- a distance of about 7km.
Through the River Valley project, the Rural Development and Land Reform Department is trying to develop land around river banks across the country with full infrastructure.
The building of the bridge and the road are in line with the commitment made by President Zuma during his State of the Nation Address regarding infrastructure development in the country.
Zuma will also visit the brick making plant project that is run by the youth and the pack house, which is part of the River Valley programme.
