SANParks.org Forums

So the 3 elephants bridge is no more.

I wonder if the contractors are Laurel & Hardy......

I said before it was started that unless you start at the beginning of the dry season, and get it FINISHED and high enough for the swollen river to pass underneath, ........

Looks like all the tendering and 'democratic process' dalays it until 10 minutes before the good rains.

Planning..

You all have it very wrong!

This is a modern rain making ceremony.

As soon as the bridge is up, it is sure to rain!

But to ensure it really works properly one should definitely destroy any existing low-level bridges first

I was told that the contractor of the second failed bridge is not the same one from last year. So it seems 2 contractors have now failed......wonder what happens next?

3rd contractor

I have now heard from a reliable source inside Kruger that the present contractor is the 3rd one on site. No 1 just took the money and run without doing anything. No 2's contract was canceled due to incompetency. No 3 was given the job during Oct 2009 and by the look of things he may not be the last one that will be entrusted to build the now infamous replacement/upgraded/new/three elephants/often swept away/soon to be reconstructed/flood proof bridge. Apparently the guys that is supposed to build the new gate is also 90 days behind schedule.

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Just put yourself in their shoes guys and girls. If anyone of us were busy with this construction, where would people find us? Not at the bridge itself but driving around inside KNP having a ball of a time. I don't blame them. All that would be on my mind standing next to the bridge would be: where will i find the wilddogs and cheetahs tomorrow and what roads will i be driving. Oops. Did i just say that loud....

This absolutely makes my blood boil. We will be staying at Skukuza over New years and then at Ngwenya lodge over the rest of the period. This means that if I want any hope of getting into the park before it is full I will have to leave the lodge at 3 in the morning to be in the queue at Malelane by 4:30 so that I can maybe get into the park?

I'm very disappointed.

Maybe the following may happen now.

Design a bridge that will serve the purpose.
Plan the project.
Should there be a budget constraint it will be highlighted at this stage.
Get a suitable contractor with suitably qualified Engineers.
Appoint a qualified Clerk of Works, MANAGE and SUPERVISE the construction of the bridge.
Hold those who do not do their job, responsible, should there be a repeated failure.

I have said it once and I will say it again.

Contact the army. Let the army engineers construct a Baily bridge across the river and it will cost next to nothing.
The bridge will hold.
It is a very good experience for the guys in olive.
It can be taken away easily when the permanent bridge is finished.

EISH!!

Hey Buddy, I hear whet you say. But the army today is not what it was. SANDF and SAPS trading , soldiers protected by unions, private security looking after SAPS, need I carry on???

SANParks should not go with the cheapest tender, but get a reputable company to do the job, yes, maybe a few $$$ more but they will only pay once!

What gmlsmit say is pure common sense. Do you not have "Bonus/Malus" in South Africa? If you finish before the date stated by the contract you get a reward, if later you pay a fine.

Think of the positives.


Took me a while, but if you are staying at Croc Bridge, you can leave at your leisure without being crowded out.

I don't relish the thought of that either - we supposed to be there in 16 days time and with the rain that is currently falling in the area, I doubt the infamous bridge will be functional

Out of curiosity I google'd Baily Bridge, and I agree, it looks like the best temporary solution by far.

Just keep the army far away from it