Chelmsford road deteriorates into a death trap amid truck ‘onslaught’
The road has deteriorated rapidly in recent months and is now being described as a death trap.
Travelling on the Chelmsford/Normandien Road has become a nightmare for motorists with many saying they fear for their lives when taking the route.
The road has deteriorated rapidly in recent months and is now being described as a death trap with potholes stretching for miles across the busy road.
According to one motorist, the potholes are ‘ankle deep’ and ‘just plain dangerous’, especially for those who are not familiar with the road.
He blamed the deterioration of the route on mining activity in the vicinity.
“Trucks drive on the road every day and all day as they carry coal and other mining materials to and from the mines.
This has caused severe damage to the road infrastructure and has made travelling that route so dangerous for farmers using the road,” he said
What impact has mining had on the roads and the Ntshingwayo Dam?
Matthew Shunmugam, chairperson of the KZN Angling Liaison Committee, which represents the Angling Professional League (APL), the Natal Fresh Water Angling Association (NFWAA), and KZNRBAU (KwaZulu Natal Region Freshwater Bank Angling Union), and who is also chairperson of the Newcastle Residents Forum (NFR), said they had objected to the opening of the mines along the D96 road.
“Through the efforts of the KZN Angling Liaison Committee, the user groups represented by the committee embarked on a project to upgrade conditions at Chelmsford Dam, especially at both Sandford and Richgate Park. It started with the donation of 100 cubic meters of fill material for Sandford and 50 cubic meters at Richgate, valued at over R30,000.
“Later, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officials came on board and used the material to carry out the necessary repairs to the internal roads at Chelmsford Dam, including the general public areas such as Red Sands and the campsite,” he said.
This served as a reprieve, as conditions at both Sandford and Richgate had improved considerably with fewer problems encountered.
An open competition was held, which attracted over 500 anglers, and most parts of the dam were easily accessible.
Some of the areas warranted attention as storm water management had to be considered.
The committee was looking at improving the road and repairing the ablution block to improve conditions for anglers.
“Unfortunately, the recent rains wreaked havoc as the internal roads became impassable, forcing the suspension of competitive angling at Sandford. Certain sections of the roads have been badly eroded, and at the end of Zone A, the stormwater pipe gave way, and two huge sinkholes emerged, making the rest of the zones inaccessible. “The gate fees have been hiked up to R60 per person and the committee feels that this is rather steep considering that facilities are non-existent and roads are treacherous.”
‘It would seem that ecotourism would be placed on the back burner’
To make matters worse, Shunmugam, said both the main roads to the Chelmsford Dam, via Newcastle and Dannhauser, have become a nightmare to drive, which has been the final straw as many visitors are despondent, and it would seem that ecotourism would be placed on the back burner for now.
The user groups of the Liaison Committee are to consider alternate venues to fulfil their fixtures for the rest of the season.
The Newcastle Residents Forum had submitted a seven-page objection regarding the proposed coal mining in the Western Region of Newcastle.
“Despite many issues raised by concerned residents and civic organisations, the environmental consultants have submitted their final Environmental Impact Assessment report to the Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs. If these mining projects are allowed to continue, the same fate awaits the D96 road …flooding, which is a common phenomenon in the CBD and residential areas. The only way to halt the proposed coal mining activity would be a long and protracted legal battle. The Council should never allow mining to take place on the doorstep of the CBD and residential suburbs, as the long-term consequences will be dire for the community,” he concluded.
Newcastle Municipality’s spokesperson, Mthandeni Myende, said that the road belongs to the Provincial Department of Transport, and the Municipality has requested the Department to maintain the road as it is now not safe for road users.
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