Philip Nottingham, businessowner in Tamsui industrial area:
With reference to a recent article on the roadworks in PW Botha Boulevard (Padwerke onvermydelik ten spyte van impak, George Herald of 17 October).
The road has a stop/go on it already. The section between Steinhoff Park and York Street is still closed.
It is difficult for a layman to understand what exactly has been done on the PW Botha road since it was closed. The surface is as bad as ever and in some places has actually got much much worse!
I would dearly love to know exactly how much has been spent versus the original budget as it seems to me there has been around nine months of practically nothing going on. Obviously just in my humble opinion as a businessowner who loses revenue daily because of this debacle!
Lionel Daniels, Acting Director: Civil Engineering Services, responds:
Since the start of construction in early 2024, work on PW Botha Blvd has focused primarily on upgrading the intersection with Ossie Urban Rd rather than the entire road. Essential work included encasing a 250mm main water line, rerouting and lowering electrical 11KV and LV cables, relocating DFA data fibre cables, and enhancing storm water infrastructure.
Additionally, approximately 300mm of poor in-situ material was removed and replaced with commercially sourced fill to ensure stability. The intersection upgrade, nearing completion, was necessary to prevent further deterioration while awaiting full funding for a broader road rebuild, which will start in January 2025.
Preparatory work on the verges of PW Botha Blvd began in September 2024, with the section between Steinhoff and Pearl St remaining closed westbound to manage traffic flow and reduce congestion and safety risks. Recently, controlled traffic has been allowed through the Ossie Urban intersection for access to and from Nelson Mandela Blvd.
To date, R7,6 million has been spent on upgrading the Ossie Urban/PW Botha intersection, with final costs expected to reach R8 million. This budget was allocated specifically for the intersection upgrade, serving as a preliminary phase before securing the funding for the full PW Botha Blvd rebuild. The broader project is expected to cost approximately R130 million.
Several factors affected the timeline, including challenges with existing utility lines, which required rerouting and additional protective measures, and unsuitable in-situ materials, which needed replacement.
The current phase should be completed within the next month, and the comprehensive rebuild of PW Botha Blvd is projected to conclude by mid-2026.
While unforeseen issues may arise, proactive planning is in place to minimise risks and keep the public informed of any changes.
George Municipality apologises for the inconvenience caused and thanks the affected businesses and the public for their understanding. In the longer term, the rehabilitated PW Botha Blvd will benefit the businesses and citizens of George Municipality.
The municipality will continue implementing a traffic management plan to ensure safe, controlled access during construction. A public liaison officer has also been appointed to maintain regular communication with businesses, providing updates on construction progress and traffic management measures.
The municipality remains committed to transparent information sharing to help businesses plan around construction schedules.
