GEORGE NEWS - The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure released a statement on Wednesday 31 January in response to George Herald's inquiry made on Friday 26 January. The statement set out the reasons for the delays in repairs to the Montagu Pass and Seven Passes Road.

In both instances, the significant damage the roads suffered during the severe 2022/2023 floods are cited as among the main factors. 

Repair work was not neglected by the department. Its mandate in the case of road damage is to first establish access so that all communities that rely on a particular road are reconnected to the wider road network. This may include the need for single-lane use, detours or alternative routes.

Secondly, the order of repairs is prioritised according to traffic volumes and the road's association with economic activity. Thus, the roads that carry higher traffic volumes that are associated with greater economic activity take priority.

There are many procedures that need to be followed before actual repair work can be started, especially for heritage sites such as Montagu Pass. The department must adhere to heritage requirements and obtain approval of the processes to be followed from Heritage Western Cape (HWC).

Montagu Pass

The media release states that initial repair work on this pass was stopped after intervention by members of the public and HWC. Before the HWC permit to restart the work was received, adverse weather caused road to deteriorate to the point where it was no longer safe for public use and it had to be closed. During the time that the required processes were being attended to, the road further deteriorated due to adverse weather.

Repairs were further severely impacted by the flood repair requirements across the province caused by the 2022 and 2023 winter floods, most notably the Heritage Day long weekend floods in 2023.

HWC has engaged with various stakeholders on the maintenance and repair of Montagu Pass over the past few months with several meetings attended by representatives of HWC, DOI, law enforcement, and conservation bodies. HWC has now issued a permit to DOI for the maintenance and repair of the Montagu Pass. However, the main constraint to restarting work is the current lack of resources.

The DOI states that it does not have a mechanism or the resources to support businesses affected by closed roads, irrespective of the reason for the closure.

It also notes that allegations of problems with a contractor are baseless, as no contractor had been involved in any work on Montagu Pass.

"The work will be prioritised along with all other roads that were damaged by the floods, and the maintenance will resume as soon as the necessary capacity and resources, including finance, are available.

"This is likely to be done in a phased approach, based on budget and resource availability," the statement reads.

"Despite the economic value of the Montagu Pass, including its value to the tourism sector, this is not a critical route because an alternative is available (the Outeniqua Pass). Given the current resource constraints, . . . DOI has 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."

Seven Passes Road

This road also sustained significant damage during the 2022/2023 winter floods. Repairing the road to its pre-flood state will take considerable time and resources and there currently are severe resource constraints. 

Unfortunately, other damaged roads that carry more traffic and are more economically important are a higher priority.

Due to significant slips, especially between NMU and Wilderness Heights, lanes on this road were closed with applicable signage in place, but traffic was allowed to pass. The situation was monitored, but, due to the geometry of the pass and narrow road width, coupled with irresponsible road user behaviour, there was a high risk of crashes.

"The difficult decision had to be taken to fully close the road in the interests of road safety and to protect the asset from further damage," the statement reads.

The DOI notes that, when roads are closed, it is closed to all road users and for their safety. There is damage below surface level that is not immediately visible. 

Thus reports by cyclists on the road's suitability are subjective and uninformed of the full extent of the damage.

The department remains committed to reopening these passes as soon as possible, given the financial constraints.

"We ask residents to please be patient and to work with us, particularly with regard to their safety. Both passes remain closed to all road users, and we ask pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists to all adhere to the closure of the road."

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’