Phase 2 of repairs to flood damage on the Franschhoek Pass (R45), following the destructive storms of September 2023, is set to only commence in March next year.
This means motorists will have to continue to drive with caution on the pass, especially during the festive season, as several areas remain volatile following slope damage and slip failures along parts of the road.
The damage was caused by heavy downpours over Heritage weekend last year. Repairs to the scenic roadway was undertaken by the provincial infrastructure department.
As a safety precaution several temporary stop-and-go systems have been erected, as some lanes remain inaccessible to traffic on the pass.
Departmental spokesperson Jandré Bakker reminded motorists that a 5-ton weight restriction is currently in place on the road. “It is advised that larger heavy motor vehicles use alternative routes,” he said.
Explaining the two-phase reparation process of flood damage, Bakker said the first phase comprised emergency repairs.
“These are interim measures to ensure access is restored and critical work is done to stabilise the site to avoid permanent failure,” he elaborated.
“This initial portion of the work is complete, and vehicular access has been restored in a safe and controlled manner. The permanent-works design for the damage is now complete and the department is currently in the process of finalising the documentation.”
Bakker said the second phase will form part of the current upgrading of Main Road 191 (0,0 km to 9,57 km) and the periodic maintenance of Main Road 191 (9,57 km to 41,95 km) project.
“Once all the relevant processes are completed and approved it is intended that the permanent flood-damage repairs in the Franschhoek Pass will commence [on the eve of] the first quarter of the new financial year . . . in March 2025,” he added.
The department is currently refurbishing several parts of the R45, from Old Paarl Road all the way to the Theewaterskloof Dam near Villiersdorp.
Bakker said these roadworks are well underway, and while there are milestones for completion on specific sections, the overall project is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“While we understand the frustration roadworks have on commuters, the long-term benefit outweighs the short-term inconvenience and sacrifice,” he said.
“Road users should also remember the greater road network suffered significant damage, and we have to balance resources with need throughout the province, which forces us to [conduct] repairs in phases and programme accordingly.”
Meanwhile, in her Medium Term Budget Policy Speech for the 2024-’25 financial term, delivered on Tuesday (26 November), provincial finance minister Deidré Baartman said the provincial governments’ application for disaster and infrastructure funding from National Treasury has been approved.
She said the province would receive R1,2 billion, flowing through various provincial conditional grants, including R947 million for disaster-related infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure damage between December 2023 and July 2024.
“The extent of the damage caused by these floods and the high likelihood of more extreme weather events occurring is further reason why we need to budget better for disasters,” she said.
Several parts of the Franschhoek Pass suffered flood damage during the devastating storms last year.
