Robin Carlisle, the MEC for Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape has said that a tender for major repairs to the N12 between George and Oudtshoorn has been awarded.
The MEC visited the damaged road on Friday morning.
Several hundred tons of red sandstone collapsed onto the road in a cutting about 10 kilometres from Oudtshoorn on 29 July, effectively isolating the popular tourist destination off from George.
The first rock falls occurred at 1pm on 29 July and further falls occurred toward evening. The road was then closed, turning what used to be a one to two hours’ drive from Oudtshoorn to George into a three to four hours’ drive via the Robinson Pass, which is itself undergoing repair for flood damage.
We immediately brought in our consulting engineers, which culminated in the awarding of a R10 million tender within one week.
I met on Friday with representatives of business, farmers' unions, the tourism industry, major employers, the Eden District Council, Oudtshoorn municipality, local and provincial traffic, the tourism industry and other interested groups and individuals.
Because the repairs will take at least six weeks, the meeting agreed upon a series of proposals that would reduce the length of the trip for light vehicles and cut gravel usage from 41 kilometres to 5 kilometres. Plans were also made for very heavy vehicles to be able to enter and leave Oudtshoorn.
We further agreed that Oudtshoorn would manage the process, including the scheduling of times at which commercial vehicles would travel, and the providing of permits where necessary.
Carlisle warned that the likely overflowing of the Kammanassie Dam could lead to further closures.
Applications for the special permit must be made at either the Eden Municipal Disaster Management Centre (MDMC) at 54 York Street 54, in George, or the Agri Klein Karoo Offices, opposite the library, in Oudtshoorn.
Interested groups and individuals are invited to attend a follow-up meeting with the provincial Department of Transport, the consulting engineers and the appointed contractor at 12 noon tomorrow, Tuesday, 16 August, in the Oudtshoorn Experimental Farm’s Conference Hall.
Enquiries:
Steven Otter
Cell: 084 233 3811
