Heavy rains a major blow to Montagu Pass
Asked if the Montagu Pass will be able to withstand another rainstorm, George Herald was told that the pass does not show signs of permanent failure.
Severe damage to the historic Montagu Pass after last week's heavy rains left mountain bikers speechless when they dared to inspect one of their favourite routes over the weekend. Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Gerrit Pretorius said he will personally bring the state of the pass to the attention of the Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers. Both Pretorius and Simmers are rooted in George.
Asked if the Montagu Pass will be able to withstand another rainstorm, Jandré Bakker of the Provincial Department of Infrastructure said the pass does not show signs of permanent failure. He confirmed that it is closed to all traffic (including cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians), as it is still considered a construction site.
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In the olden days the Montagu Pass, that dates from 1847, allowed wagons with a single team of oxen to ascend the pass in three hours, as opposed to the three days it had taken to negotiate the old Cradock Pass. It is the oldest unaltered pass in South Africa, linking George with the village of Herold.
Although the pass had been closed for restoration work since February 2023, it remained a popular road for hikers and mountain bikers who still secretly ventured there. By the looks of it, this might be the end of that, since the current state of the Montagu Pass begs the question whether restoration work is still possible at all.
Pass now a river
One of the mountain bikers who braved the pass last Friday said it is no longer Montagu Pass, but Montagu River. "They did not take everything into account when they started to repair the road," she said. "We get a lot of rain, one should keep that in mind." She said her feet sank
deep into the river sand, a small distance from the entrance after the Old Toll House. "We had to call it quits. It is so sad."
Another mountain biker was shocked to witness the state of the pass further on towards Herold. The photos were circulated on various WhatsApp groups where residents shared their dismay.
Pretorius said he would like to see the pass completely restored and utilised by tourists, cyclists and motorists. "The pass needs to be rehabilitated from top to bottom, once and for all. Years of floods systematically caused deterioration. I believe that with today's technology the road can be repaired properly. It was not foreseen that the road surface would deteriorate to such an extent, and this must be addressed."
Emergency works
Bakker said the recent work on the Montagu Pass was only emergency work, not permanent work. "The aim of the work was simply to establish a degree of traffic flow. The department follows prescribed and permitted work techniques."
Asked whether authorities have left renovations for far too long, Bakker said the department immediately started repairing damage following weather events in 2022, but work stopped due to complaints from local stakeholders. "Subsequent weather events resulted in further damage. The delay in work to the pass was therefore not because of a lack of effort, but as a result of the stoppage of work, which then had to follow a different and lengthy approval and permitting process. The department could not continue with work until permits
were issued." He said the Department of Infrastructure thanks Heritage Western Cape, which has been very supportive in getting permits with short turnaround time.
Background
Six years ago in 2018, a concerned member of the public, Sal Marsilio, noticed the crumbling retaining walls and said it was evident that nothing has been done for a very long time. At the time Garden Route District Municipality roads manager Japie Strydom confirmed that they had been given the go-ahead to do the necessary repairs by the Western Cape Provincial authorities who fund the reparation projects. "The road is in a poor condition due to the rain," said Strydom.
In November 2022 repair work was halted by Heritage Western Cape (HWC) for the issuing of a permit. Specific repair methods have to be used that conform to techniques that were used to build the pass.
Repairs were also severely impacted by flood repair requirements across the province, most notably the Heritage Day long weekend floods in 2023. Since the Montagu Pass is not a critical road, with the availability of the Outeniqua Pass, it is not an immediate priority.
In February this year, the Department of Infrastructure confirmed that they had to prioritise routes that carry higher traffic volumes and that are associated with greater economic activity than the Montagu Pass and the Seven Passes Road. "Despite our efforts, it is not currently possible to provide a timeline for the reopening of the Montagu Pass or the Seven Passes Road."
Earlier this month (April 2024) the Outeniqua Tourism Association (Ota) has added its support to the concerned voices regarding the repair and opening of the Montagu Pass.