Peace memorial boost for Zuurberg
A PROPOSED memorial site at Zuurberg outside Addo could mean the economic upliftment of the entire region.
This is the long-term vision of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, which yesterday held a sod-turning at the Zuurberg Peace Memorial site.
The site is located on a farm bordering the Addo Elephant National Park has been bought by the department. It will form part of a bigger project which will involve the upgrade of the R335, including parts of the Zuurberg Pass between Addo and Somerset East, and 113km of the R335 between Addo and Somerset East.
Departmental service delivery coordinator for rural infrastructure Clinton Heimann said most of the road – 65 km – would be paved, along with parts of the Somerset East Airfield.
The paving would be produced by co-operatives based in the Blue Crane and Sundays River municipalities. It would take eight years to complete the road. Construction is set to start in February next year.
“The airfield tender will be advertised in May and construction is planned for between August and December. The apron and taxiways will be paved and the runway tarred,” Heimann said.
Departmental project director for rural infrastructure Kelvin Naidoo said the Zuurberg Peace Memorial site would form a part of the bigger cultural village and heritage centre planned for Zuurberg.
Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti emphasised that the vision was to let the memorial peacefully represent “all the cultures of the Eastern Cape”.
When asked about the badly damaged section of the R335 between Addo and PE, about which the business community has recently complained, Nkwinti said an infrastructure upgrade of the entire region was important for the success of the memorial site.
Owner of the Zuurberg Inn Mountain Resort Henry Alant said the memorial site and upgrading of the road would be “an asset to the entire area”.