AN "engineer" from Langa township near Cape Town is the darling of the community after he built a pay-bridge over a canal - allowing an easy crossing to many areas previously difficult to access.
The 8m wooden bridge provides Langa residents with an easy route - for 50 cents - to the Bonteheuwel clinic, Vanguard Mall in Athlone and N2 - and is manned daily from 8am to 6pm by owner-creator Sebenzile Mazembele.
Hundreds of people cross the bridge each day, but some do not have to pay because of the high level of unemployment, he says.
Mazembele says he makes about R50 a day during the week and about R60 at weekends.
Sowetan visited the bridge yesterday morning and witnessed scores of people, some from Khayelitsha, crossing the bridge to visit their relatives in the Langa community.
Some were happy to pay while others pleaded poverty.
"When I started building it people thought I was mad. I was working alone, knee-deep in dirty water in the canal. I knew one day they would appreciate this," Mazembela says.
"I noted that people were struggling to access many areas since the other bridge built by the government is far from the community.
"I want to help people. I want us to help each other. I also want to put bread on the table.
"Some people can't pay me. I just pray for them to get jobs so that they are able to pay one day.
Source:
http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2010/07/28/the-bridge-man