Umhlali River Bridge on N2 fully reopened to traffic

Officials believe the move will help alleviate congestion on the busy route. 

The bridge was reduced to one lane after the structure was damaged in last year's disastrous floods. 

 READ: uMhlanga estuary closed as eThekwini awaits report

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who officially opened the bridge on Sunday, said contractors were given a budget of R37 million to carry out repairs which included jacking the bridge deck back into place after it was shifted by flood waters. 

CEO of national roads agency SANRAL Reginald Demana says  river cleanups are continuing. 

"One of the major challenges was that the debris that got washed off. The trees, the sugar cane, over many years were being cut and remained in the river was washed dowstream and that's what damaged the bridge. So, we are cleaning the river upstream and downstream over a couple of weeks."