Increasing concerns about Seven Passes Road

GEORGE NEWS - Concerns about the condition of the Seven Passes Road after yet another truck driver found himself in a bit of a pickle on Friday 21 July, has been raised by the George Heritage Trust (GHT).

The truck, a vehicle delivery truck belonging to the logistics company OneLogix, was travelling from George when it got stuck in front of the Silver River bridge on the Seven Passes Road.

This is however not the first heavy vehicle to get stuck there. Companies have previously claimed that the drivers' GPS shows this particular route as the best option between George and Wilderness.

However, aside from the very narrow road, the two historical bridges on the pass - the Silver River bridge and the Kaaimans bridge - are not built to accommodate heavy vehicles and have been damaged by heavy vehicles before.

Divisional director of OneLogix's vehicle delivery services Steve Oosthuizen said this is not a route that their drivers are authorised to take.

"We normally stick to the main routes - apart from the fact that the Seven Passes Road is quite narrow it also has a lot of low trees close to the road which can obviously cause damage to our cargo. It would appear that the driver followed his GPS as he was en route to East London," he said.

Oosthuizen agrees that a road sign will definitely help - especially in instances where people don't know the area.

Heritage Trust concerned

The GHT has been concerned about the state of the pass, which is a result of poor maintenance, as well as the damage done to it by heavy trucks that are too big.

According to GHT chairperson Henry Paine, the damage done to the Silver River bridge demonstrates a problem that has not been addressed to date.

"Both the GHT and the Wilderness Ratepayers Association (WRRA) have monitored the situation and alerted authorities to the problem. Heritage Western Cape (HWC) has been kept informed and has also been unsuccessful in achieving protection of this provincial heritage site," he said.

The CEO of HWC, Michael Janse van Rensburg, confirmed the incident and the current status of the situation is uncertain from HWC's perspective.

"HWC has been collaborating with the Department of Transport and Public Works and local heritage bodies to carefully assess the necessary steps for repairing and maintaining the pass. Due to its exceptional heritage value, it is crucial to determine the most suitable repair methods to preserve the site's heritage integrity. A comprehensive report has been prepared, and once the formal application to HWC is submitted and approved, the repair work can proceed," he said.

The truck, carrying an abnormal load, got stuck on the Seven Passes road just before the Silver River bridge.

No sign of signs

Paine says signs to warn drivers of the difficulty of driving a large truck along the Seven Passes road have been requested, but the pleas have seemingly been ignored by authorities.

"It is not reasonable to continue to hold drivers responsible for damage when no warning signs have been erected," Paine said.

A media enquiry regarding the condition and repair of the road was sent to the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure. By the time of going to print, George Herald was still awaiting feedback from Ntobeko Mbingeleli, the spokesperson for the Minister of Infrastructure.

The Kaaimans bridge was damaged a few years back and about a year ago George Herald reported on damage to the Silver River bridge, which was caused by a truck that got stuck on the bridge. A

section of the bridge was allegedly cut off in an attempt to free the truck.

This is not the first heavy vehicle to get stuck on this road.