Progress on the R536 between Sabie and Hazyview at long last
Repairs on the flood-damaged R536 between Sabie and Hazyview have started, and the road is now open for traffic. However, there seems to be no change on the R40 near Klipkopjes Dam.
The old adage that all good things come to those who wait, seems to be true in this instance.
After a long wait, a contractor had been appointed to carry out the repairs on the flood-damaged R536 between Sabie and Hazyview and has been on-site since last Tuesday November 21. The previously closed sections have been reopened after the construction of temporary bypasses and access between the two towns was restored. This is meant to suffice until permanent repairs will be undertaken next year.
The spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, Bongani Dhlamini, said permanent repairs will commence in February and are expected to take 12 months, as it would also include the rehabilitation of a stretch of 7.7km of the road from Hazyview’s side.
ALSO READ: Some flood-damaged roads to receive attention in Mpumalanga
“It must also be noted that we did not receive any disaster funding as a department. We are using the allocated budget of the 2023/24 financial year. This means that we will not be able to repair all the affected routes, but our main goal is to make sure all affected roads would be repaired if budgets are available. We are pleading with members of the public to be patient with us while we are busy with the repairs,” he said.
ALSO READ: Costs to repair damage caused by recent floods in Lowveld will be disclosed soon
Meanwhile, Sanral remains mum on when they would be starting with their repairs on the R40 that currently operates as a stop-and-go. Previously, Sanral’s northern regional project manager, Alan Agaienz, said they would be issuing a tender for repairs to the damaged section next to the popular Klipkopjes Dam on the R40. He also said their structural consulting engineers had completed documentation for the tender.
“For now, no service providers have been appointed, as it was anticipated that we would award the tender in September. However, there was a two-week delay with advertising of the tenders, but it is now out in the market.”
Agaienz said there would be an evaluation process, and only thereafter will a decision be made as to which contractor to appoint. It is anticipated that the contract duration will be about 12 months. “This is a fairly difficult project. I cannot reveal what we believe the estimated cost of the project will be until the tender process has been completed,” he said.
It has been nine months since floods hit the Lowveld region, and since then, certain roads have been permanently closed, such as the R40 between Barberton and the Josefsdal Border Post, located on the Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail. The busy R40 next to Klipkopjes Dam also still operates on a stop-and-go basis.
An assessment on the damages was conducted and initially the Mpumalanga Provincial Government requested R2.3b to repair all provincial roads. However, municipalities across the province only received a portion of the requested funds to date to deal with internal roads, bridges and other damaged infrastructure.
