The SA National Roads Agency Limited accused a joint venture construction company of effectively being in breach of contract.
This, after Aveng Strabag Joint Venture Company announced on Monday that it was withdrawing from the construction of the 1.1-kilometre long Mtentu Bridge in the Eastern Cape.
The R1.6 billion bridge construction has been hampered by protests by some local community members opposed to the N2 Wild Coast road project, of which the Mtentu Bridge programme is an integral part.
Aveng, which formed a joint venture with Austrian firm Strabag, said that contractors have not been on site since last October due to threats of violence and community unrest.
But, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Sanral said that the contractor had abandoned the site and also disputed the assertion that it was unsafe to work on the project.
Sanral's national spokesperson, Vusi Mona said they did everything in their power to ensure that it was safe for workers to return to the site, but they decided to terminate the contract.
He said they reject the termination and will now issue them with a notice for abandoning the site.
Here is an article we published in 2017 when the above tender was awarded:
