Hendrik Potgieter Road hole causing traffic nightmare for residents moving between Ruimsig and Little Falls
Provincial government officials have assessed the road but no word yet on a way forward.
A few stormy nights served as a reminder of nature’s disregard for human endeavour.
From a collapsed embankment to a widening crack, all eyes were on Hendrik Potgieter Road as the community that rely on the busy passage hoped to avoid a nightmare scenario. By early Tuesday morning the inevitable was confirmed as a large chuck of the road disappeared into the river below. Nudged into the abyss by the torrent of water that has battered the area, an infuriating wait now begins.
While the small side roads still offer congested access, any ease of movement between Ruimsig and the areas including Little Falls and beyond has essentially been severed. Initial plans on Monday afternoon, December 12, were to close half the road and squeeze the flow through the remaining section. This became too hopeful as in the early hours of December 13, officials took the decision to block all access between Johan Road and Van Staden Road.
Community role players have been monitoring the situation and providing updates from the site but no word yet from those who will be responsible for the repair. The Gauteng provincial government confirmed that MEC of Infrastructure, Lebogang Maile, was on the ground to assess the damages on behalf of Gauteng government. A request for a time frame of repairs was sent to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport via email and their response is still eagerly awaited.
In the interim, traffic has been diverted onto Van Staden Road and Johan Road through Shearwater Road and Van Dalen Road South. Those small roads are heaving with a volume of traffic far in excess of their design. The tight bends of the back roads are proving difficult to navigate for the massive trucks that use Hendrik Potgieter Road at all hours of the day.
The next best detours would be to use Christiaan de Wet Road onto an already damaged Wilgerood Road then onto Doreen Road via Ouklip Road or CR Swart Drive. Alternatively, accessing Peter Road via Beyers Naude Drive is the next most efficient route. Rain is predicted for the rest of the week followed by the Christmas break, so the full extent of what lies ahead may not be known for weeks to come.
Read more: Brace yourself for more thunderstorms
