New graders for maintaining district roads

GEORGE NEWS - The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works handed over two construction graders, each worth R4,7m, to the Garden Route District Municipality's (GRDM) roads department on Thursday 21 July.

This makes the Garden Route the district with the largest plant fleet. This year to date the GRDM has received three graders from Western Cape government. The first machine was delivered on 14 June.

GRDM portfolio chairperson of roads and transport services Cllr Petru Terblanche and Deputy Mayor Gert van Niekerk handed the keys of the two new machines over to the main operators, Phillip Scholtz and André Mouton.

Gerald Sinkfontein, deputy manager for mechanical services at the roads department, said the first machine was allocated to the re-gravelling long-distance team and it was handed over to the main operator, Adam Damons and back-up operator, Andrew Mars.

These latest additions will be utilised by two maintenance teams serving roads on the outskirts of George.

GRDM Municipal Manager Monde Stratu said the municipality is always under extreme pressure in terms of the expectations for the maintenance of roads. "These machines are welcome additions to the plant that we already have."

He said the operators were specially selected, as not anyone is able to operate a R5m machine.

District with largest fleet

Stratu thanked the Western Cape govern-ment for its support. "We are proud to be the district with the largest fleet in the Western Cape and we promise to continue looking after the machines that we receive."

The GRDM roads and transport planning team, from left: Gert Verwey, Fernando Tiemie, Herodean Coetzee, Zanele Nkomana, Buhle Banzi, Njongikhaya Skwatsha, Micheal Mqhokrwana, Patrick Xabisa, André Mouton, David Coericious, Phillip Scholtz, Ben February and Gerald Sinkfontein.

Van Niekerk said the district roads that fall under the GRDM stretch from Slangrivier to Bitou through to Kannaland. The machines will be fully utilised in the best interests of the people of the region.

Heinie Brand of the earth-moving equipment manufacturer Komatsu said the company has been fortunate that the provincial government has faith in investing in their brand of machines.

GRDM Executive Manager for Roads and Transport Planning John Daniels facilitated at the event, which was attended by a large number of employees from this department.

With the new machines are, from left: Rodney Oliver of the Western Cape Government, Heinie Brand of Komatsu, machine operator André Mouton, Themba Msimanga of Komatsu, machine operator Phillip Scholtz and Gerald Sinkfontein of the GRDM roads department.