Western Cape’s flood-damaged roads are receiving a R73.6m restoration boost, with repairs progressing on key routes near George and Plettenberg Bay.
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The provincial Department of Infrastructure is tackling damaged culverts, unstable road sections and failed causeways to improve safety and restore access for residents, visitors and agricultural communities. The project covers 10km of the MR355 (Seven Passes) road and several district roads, with completion anticipated in March 2027, weather permitting.
Five failed culverts are being replaced on MR355 with concrete pipes. Slips on this road are being repaired using piling and reinforced concrete decks in three places.
Slips are being repaired with reinforced earth and gabion retaining walls in seven places, and with reinforced earth and a dry stack stone wall in one place. The drainage pipes on this road are being replaced with larger diameter concrete pipes. Layerworks are being restored on surfaced parts of MR355 that have subsided. These sections will be resurfaced when the layerworks are complete.
One failed causeway will be replaced on each of the district roads DR1602, DR1633 and DR1639 in the agricultural areas west of George and north of Brak River. A failed causeway on DR1602 will be replaced with a bridge once environmental authorisation has been obtained.
Safer roads, local benefits
The geometric alignment of this road is also being improved to make it safer. A failed causeway will be replaced on DR1791 at Wittedrif between Plettenberg Bay and Keurboomstrand, and a 150m section of this road is being raised by about 1m to tie into the new causeway.
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“In addition to the benefits for residents and visitors of our infrastructure projects, these projects also benefit local labourers, targeted enterprises, local enterprises and emerging contractors”, said Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers.
“A total of 10 458 person-days of local labour has so far been utilised on this project against a target of 11,500. A total of 92 work opportunities has been created against a target of 135.
"R10.3m has been spent on targeted enterprises against a target of R18.9m. Goods and services have been procured from four local enterprises against a target of six, and from four emerging contractors against a target of three,” he added.
