Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Contractors work day and night to fix damaged roads
CONTRACTORS who worked day and night for a month to restore and reconstruct the N2 Botrivier road have been commended for their sacrifices.
The provincial road and Hemel en Aarde road between Caledon and Hermanus may be ready for commuters soon.
The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) confirmed that the national roadway, which was washed away in September, had been restored and was open to traffic.
After an assessment by the contractors, they worked around the clock, with teams staying until 10pm every night, including weekends, to reconstruct the broken road.
The estimated cost to repair provincial roads following devastating storms stands at R500 million and restoration could continue way into 2024.
Sanral CEO Reginald Demana said lengthy hours and commitments were made by men on the ground to repair the road.
“Sanral is mindful of the strategic and economic importance of the N2 and appreciates the sacrifices made by road users in taking alternative routes, some in excess of 100km,” he added.
“To this extent we were committed to opening the road as soon as safely possible, as improved mobility and the resumption of economic activity are prioritised,” he said.
Sanral said repair work was carried out with consideration of the natural environment and ecosystems.
Randall Cable, Sanral’s Western Region manager, said the real heroes were their workers who dedicated long hours to restore the national road.
“It is a huge relief to have the road open and for people, goods and services to once again have uninterrupted access to the N2,” he said.
“Our gratitude also extends to the workers who, without hesitation, put shoulder to the wheel to get the road open in record time. Because of their dedication, we have managed to open the road sooner than anticipated.”
This week, provincial minister of infrastructure Tertuis Simmers and Overstrand mayor Dr Annelie Rabie visited the Hemel en Aarde road construction site. Sections of this road were washed away and damaged during the floods on September 25.
In a statement, they said the road remained closed for traffic between Caledon and Hermanus. Construction work to build a temporary bypass oneway lane was currently under way.
Once this is completed, the road will be accessible and traffic will be managed through stop/go controls. “Rigorous efforts are being put in place by all stakeholders involved in the project. This is to ensure that the road is reopened ahead of the festive season.”
A total of 68 roads were closed due to the floods in the Overberg District Municipality. This had now been reduced to 18.
Local business owners were also visited by teams and given an update on the project. Sean Tager, owner of the Haygrove company. said: “As affected business owners in the region, we are grateful to the government for meeting with us and providing an update with clear guidelines as to the complications of repairing the Hemel en Aarde road. We are now clear on what to expect and are grateful for their transparency.”