GEORGE NEWS - The old Montagu Pass, that dates from 1847, is going to undergo much-needed repairs within the next month.
The work is on Eden District Municipality's maintenance programme and is scheduled to take place in February, when the flood-damaged sections will be mended.
A concerned member of the public, Sal Marsilio, said he noticed the crumbling retaining walls and was perturbed about the graffiti on the arches of the Stinkhoutdraai railway bridge while travelling along the road in December.
"The pass is in urgent need of repair / attention. It is definitely clear that nothing has been done for a long, long time," he said.
According to Eden District Municipality roads manager Japie Strydom the road signs will be replaced, but removing the graffiti is going to be somewhat more difficult.
"The road is in a poor condition due to the rain and we have been given the go-ahead to do the necessary repairs by the Western Cape Provincial authorities who fund the reparation projects."
The graffiti on the old Stinkhoutdraai railway bridge will be difficult to remove but Eden District Municipality's Roads Department, who is undertaking the overhaul of the Montagu Pass in February, will give it a go.
The Prins Albert, Swartberg and Seweweeks passes, as well as Rooiberg Pass to Van Wyksdorp Pass are just some of the passes that are serviced by Eden on behalf of Province.
Monument status
Declared a national monument in 1972, the Montagu Pass is the oldest unaltered pass in South Africa and links George with the village of Herold.
The retaining walls along the Montagu Pass will get much-needed attention.
Until the building of the Outeniqua Pass, it was the main route between Cape Town and Grahamstown.
Before that, there was only the notoriously difficult wagon trail over the mountains - the Cradock Pass.
The Montagu Pass allowed wagons with a single team of oxen to ascend the pass in three hours, as opposed to the three days it had taken to negotiate the old Cradock Pass.
ARTICLE: PAULINE LOURENS, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
'We bring you the latest George, Tuinroete news'
