GEORGE NEWS - A cyclist was recently injured while cycling in the "no-go" area in the vicinity of the Garden Route Dam.
The Garden Route Dam area is currently a construction site and no access by members of the public is permitted.
According to Municipal Spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose, the cyclist ignored the relevant signage and barricading. "The injuries sustained by the cyclist required evacuation by medical services after the cyclist was discovered by other cyclists who were also trespassing," said Edwards-Klose.
"The injured cyclist was lying on the route traveled by numerous 36 ton (without a load) articulated dump trucks travelling between the borrow pit and the dam wall. This is a no-go area with narrow access roads, frequent bends and drivers do not expect to encounter members of the public. An injured person would in all probability not have been noticed in time for a driver to come to a stop resulting in an almost certain fatality."
She said the medical evacuation process brought all construction activities on the entire site to a halt and the access road through the site had to be leveled before the emergency vehicle was able to reach the cyclist.
"The situation results in a minority group exposing the entire community to project delays and cost claims by the contractor."
According to Edwards-Klose, cyclists continue to enter the cordoned-off area, ignoring signage and temporary barriers.
"George Municipality urgently appeals to the community of George to adhere to the signage and warnings and to acknowledge and comply with the request not to enter the area at any time."
George Municipality has also commenced with a series of controlled burns to clear alien vegetation in the areas that pose a fire risk. Heavy construction vehicles are currently still operating on both the MTO Forestry/Nelson Mandela University and George sides of the dam wall. The required signage is in place to warn the public that the area is a construction site and only authorised persons are permitted to access this area wearing the correct safety clothing.
Read a related article | Update: Garden Route dam spillway
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