Western Cape Government Urges Responsible Behaviour on Province’s Roads
For immediate release 12 December 2024
As the festive season gains momentum, the Western Cape Government calls on all road users to prioritise safety. Between 25 November and 8 December 2024, 114 arrests were made for driving under the influence of alcohol, and tragically, 33 pedestrians lost their lives on the province’s roads. These numbers are a stark reminder of the responsibility we all share in ensuring safer journeys for everyone.
With schools closed and a long weekend approaching, increased traffic is expected as residents and visitors travel to their holiday destinations.
Western Cape Mobility Minister, Isaac Sileku, emphasised the importance of vigilance on the roads, “This festive season, we urge every road user to make safety their top priority. Whether you are driving, walking, or cycling, your actions can save lives. Our traffic officers are fully mobilised and will enforce a zero-tolerance approach to offenders. Let us work together to make this a festive season one to remember for all the right reasons.”
To ensure safe travel, the Western Cape Mobility Department has the following tips:
For Drivers:
Plan ahead: If you intend to consume alcohol, arrange for alternative transport or a sober driver. Even one drink can impair judgment.
Vehicle safety: Check your vehicle’s roadworthiness before travelling. Ensure tyres are correctly inflated, lights, indicators, wipers, and brakes are in good working order.
Obey speed limits: Drive within the speed limit and adjust your speed according to road conditions.
Be patient: Anticipate congestion on popular routes and avoid risky overtaking maneuvers.
Stay alert: Take regular breaks to avoid fatigue, especially on long journeys.
For Pedestrians:
Be visible: Wear bright or reflective clothing, especially at night or in poor visibility.
Avoid walking under the influence: Alcohol impairs your ability to judge distances and speeds, making walking near roads dangerous.
Use safe routes: Stick to pavements and marked pedestrian crossings whenever possible.
Provincial Traffic Officers will be conducting extensive patrols and roadblocks throughout the province. Stringent action will be taken against those found speeding, driving under the influence, or engaging in reckless behaviour.
Let us all commit to ensuring that celebrations are marked by joy, not tragedy. Together, we can make our roads safer for everyone.
-ENDS-
MEDIA QUERIES: Muneera Allie Western Cape Mobility Department – Head of Communication Muneera.Allie@westerncape.gov.za 083 755 3213
Media Release: Wrapping up Transport Month – A Look into Garden Route District Municipality’s Roads Services
31 October 2024
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) serves a diverse region known for its coastal towns, arid Klein Karoo stretches of land, lush forests, and mountainous landscapes, and farmlands. Through its Roads Services Department, GRDM services approximately 47 000 square km2 roads on behalf of the Western Cape Government Provincial Department of Infrastructure.
GRDM ensures that, within its resource capacity, that road schedules are carefully planned while taking into consideration adverse weather conditions. The Roads Services personnel undertake various tasks such as infrastructure upgrades, re-graveling, resealing, and upgrading roads. These are all aimed at ensuring a reliable and safe trip for road users.
The total length of roads maintained within the Garden Route District is 6003km. The gravel roads serviced, account for 44.32% of all gravel roads in the district. The area serviced by GRDM is divided into 15 wards and these are maintained by 16 maintenance grader operators. According to an agreement with the WCG, a minimum of 10,000 km of gravel road surface must be graded annually. Where necessary, re-graveling projects are undertaken, and the Road Agency is responsible for rehabilitating the quarries from which the gravel is sourced.
A maintenance team is assigned to each ward, as well as a dedicated reseal team. They also address potholes and seal to road surfaces. These teams rely heavily on farm owners and workers to also inform them of road-related issues after floods.
Garden Route Road Services Fleet
The Garden Route Roads Department currently has a fleet of 436 vehicles, valued at R439 134 592, consisting of both minor and major plant equipment and making it the largest fleet in the Western Cape. The budget for the 2023/2024 financial year, according to the Service Level Agreement, was R201 427 000.
Minor plant includes smaller equipment such as concrete saws, compactors, mowers, pumps, and other tools used for various construction tasks on-site. These items can typically be operated by a single person.
Major plant primarily consists of heavy machinery but also includes smaller buses and vans. The heavy machinery refers to larger machines designed for tougher tasks, with commonly used equipment in the department including bulldozers, backhoe loaders, excavators, crane trucks, and more.
Road network
The road network which is maintained covers a combined distance of 6003km of road, of which 5282km are gravel surfaced roads, and 721km are bituminous surfaced roads.
Weather incidents and its impact on roads
The Garden Route District has experienced severe weather over the past year, which have left several roads in poor condition for road users. Some roads were temporarily closed due to the extent of the damage, while others have since been repaired and are now operational again.
At GRDM, we recognise that infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation have a direct impact on the quality of life for individuals. Well-maintained roads and highways alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel time, and improve the safety of road users. This is achieved through regular inspections of the road network, which provide valuable input for future maintenance plans.
Current Projects and their values
The following current projects have been identified along with their budgeted allocations:
PROJECT NAME
AMOUNT
Reseal Project
R26.25 million
Gwaing Road Construction
R67 million
Maintenance Work
R107 million
Regravel
R28.665 million
Flood damage
R20 million
The total budget for the current financial year, which services these projects, is R196.8M.
Current Projects
Maintenance Section
Blacktop Patching target: 3000 m2
Blacktop Patching actual: 468,00 m2(May 2024)
Projected at end of FY: 3000m2
Blading Target: 10 000 km
Blading Actual: 2 115,11 km (May 2024)
Projected at end of FY: 10 000km
2. Reseal Team
Reseal Target: 268 652,00 m2
Projected at end of FY: 268 652,00 m2
3. Regravel & Construction team
Re-gravel- and Construction Teams is currently busy attending to Flood damages as per list below:
Our staff component To ensure that the roads in the Garden Route District are well-maintained, it is essential for Council to have the best personnel in place, as this specialised work requires specific skills. At GRDM, staff are trained to perform their duties with a high level of professionalism and expertise. Strict policies and procedures are in place for employees to follow, ensuring that everyone works together toward a common goal, while also ensuring that time and resources are used efficiently.
The Roads Services Department is one of GRDM’s key departments where specialised training, skills development, and mentoring opportunities are highly successful. These initiatives are essential in helping officials grow within the organisation, ensuring they acquire the expertise needed to excel in their roles and contribute to the department’s continued success.
Our Engineering Team The Engineering technicians in GRDM are primarily involved in various engineering projects that include civil (construction, reseal & maintenance). Their responsibilities typically encompass:
Technical Support: They provide technical assistance by performing calculations, field surveying, drafting plans, and using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Community Engagement: Given the municipality’s focus on community development, engineering technicians often engage with local residents to gather input on projects that affect their lives such as gathering complaints.
Project planning and design, maintenance management and site supervision, among others are functions they perform.
Media Release: De Hoop Road – Bo-Kouga in Uniondale almost restored to its former glory
24 October 2024
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Executive Mayor, Andrew Stroebel, accompanied by members of the Mayoral Committee and GRDM administration, visited the De Hoop Road (DR1835) in the Bo Kouga area near Uniondale today to inspect the completed repairs and upgrades. Uniondale forms part of the George municipal area and plays an integral part of the agricultural value chain with sheep, seed and fruit farming being the most popular.
Earlier this year, heavy rainfall severely damaged multiple roads in the region, with some sections completely washed away, isolating communities and disrupting access to and from farms. The Western Cape Provincial Government’s (WCG) Department of Infrastructure, under the leadership of Minister Tertuis Simmers, responded by allocating R20 million for emergency repairs to restore and improve the affected roads.
The restoration work to date had gone beyond simply repairing flood damage. The allocated funds were also used to enhance the drainage systems along these roads to prevent future damage, said Mayor Stroebel. The GRDM Construction team is leading the restoration and construction effort, with a total of nine roads in the region scheduled for completion by early 2025. According to Mayor Stroebel, Ongoing construction work is currently focused on Uniondale and Riversdale, with upcoming projects set to begin in Van Wyksdorp and Knysna.
Chesney Roelf, GRDM Senior Engineer Technician explains how the construction of the inlet and outlet structures for the newly laid stormwater pipe crossings were done, which are stone pitched structures constructed through employing EPWP workers.
A brief background of the flood damage and repairs
The flooding of the DR1835 road occurred when the adjacent river overflowed, washing away the road’s structural layers. The repair process required a complete reconstruction of the road’s foundation. In addition, significant improvements to the drainage system were made, including the replacement of stormwater culverts and the installation of drainage humps along the pass section.
To protect against future erosion, hand-built stone-pitched headwalls are being constructed using materials sourced from the road reserve. This project also incorporates the Expanded Public Works Programme, which provides local workers with valuable training and hands-on experience in the construction field.
Details explained to the delegates who visited the road in the Bo-Kouga area.
Details explained to the delegates who visited the road in the Bo-Kouga area.
Details explained to the delegates who visited the road in the Bo-Kouga area.
Ayakha Magxotwa from the Integrated Development Planning Unit with Mayor Andrew Stroebel during the site visit.
Feature image: Mayor Andrew Stroebel with several Mayoral Committee Members, the Executive Manager for Roads Services and other support staff of Garden Route District Municipality.
Media Release: Executive Mayor, Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillors, Management and Staff welcome 5 new additions to Roads Yellow Fleet
16 July 2024
Today, the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Roads Department took in acceptance five vehicles to the value of approximately R 500 000 each. This special occasion was witnessed by the GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald. Andrew Stroebel, Executive Deputy Mayor, Ald. Vlancio Donson, Mayoral Committee Chairperson (MMC) for Roads Services – Cllr Stag Cronje, and other MMCs, as well as GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, and support staff.
The vehicles were procured with Western Cape Government funding and were handed over to the Roads Team at their main depot in George. The purpose of these new additions to the current yellow fleet of the Municipality, is to maintain service delivery standards of the all fifteen (15) Roads teams across the Garden Route.
In the past two years GRDM received ten (10) Maintenance and Construction Graders. The fleet value of the Graders received thus far in the past two years amounts to just over R50 million. Twelve (12) new Vans were also received over the past two years.
Today, is therefore another milestone and historic occasion for the municipality, as the Roads Department continues to strive towards excellence, more specifically in ensuring safe roads that link various areas and farms, including rural areas.
The Gwaiing project remains in the construction phase, with a focus on the layer works.
Progress on the project has been delayed by the recent Victoria Street building collapse due to the yellow fleet / trucks that were made available to transport building rubble from the incident. The recent downpour of rainfall in the region also had an impact on the progress to date.
The team is currently constructing the cement-stabilized layer on the right-hand side (RHS) lane, which is the second-to-last layer of the roadworks. Preparation is also underway for the material for the final layer of the RHS lane before it can be transported onto the road. Additionally, work is being conducted on the drainage network to ensure effective stormwater management on the site.
The percentage of completion remains at 78%, as the team is awaiting the test results of a test section that was done to approve the material used for the final layer on the RHS. The program of the specialist machine used for the stabilisation process, has also been affected by the rainfall, and production will commence on that activity as soon as the machine arrives on the site.
The intended final completion date is set for 18 September 2024
Media Release: Fencing subsidies available – call for applications
For Immediate Release 9 May 2024
On an annual basis, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) provides fencing subsidies for a selected number of landowners on neighbouring provincial rural roads with fencing of their properties.
This is subject to a budget as received from the Western Cape Government.
The funding will only be applicable on a subsidy basis. It effectively means that 60% subsidy will be contributed towards the cost of the fencing. The subsidy is determined by an average price for material. The material is deemed as 60% of total cost. Labour cost is deemed as 40% of the total cost and must be carried by the applicant. All initial costs must be carried by the applicant and subsidy will be paid out after the successful completion of the fence. For more information refer to the Fencing Subsidy Policy of Garden Route District Municipality.
The new fences must adhere to the specifications of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape: Roads Infrastructure Department. Minimum specifications will be made available to successful applicants.
Application process
Application forms can be obtained from Mr Qamani Nkebana or Mr Lungisa Qendu at the Roads Transport & Planning Department. Contact numbers at the office is 044 803 1506 / 044 803 1577 or email Qamani@gardenroute.gov.za / Lungisa@gardenroute.gov.za. Alternatively download from www.gardenroute.gov.za .
Application period: 09th May 2024 to 31st May 2024.
Applications will be audited and evaluated according to risk analysis by a panel. Risk factors include:
Status of road, traffic count, operating speed of vehicles, type of farming, condition of current fence, etc
The panel outcome will be decided by 02nd August 2024. All applicants will be informed. A fencing subsidy contract will be signed with successful applicants. Unsuccessful applicants can apply again in the next financial year.
All fences must be fully completed by 30th November 2024 for payment before 28 February 2025.
Payment will be done after an inspection and an approval for the fence has been made.
The Gwaiing project is still in its construction phase with the progress of the project currently stands at 78% works completed.
The Road Construction team is currently busy with the cement stabilisation of the subbase layer on the RHS lane, which is the second to last layer that will be placed on the newly constructed road, after which, the construction of the final Basecourse layer will begin.
The main focus areas at this stage remain the processing of the layer works. Material is still being carted in from the approved source. The drainage network on the entire section of road has been improved, with minor concrete structures currently being constructed for erosion control.
The intended final completion date is set for 18 September 2024.
The Gwaing project is still in its construction phase. The progress of the project currently stands at 70% works completed, after a few rain delays were experienced in the last two weeks.
The main focus areas at this stage remains the processing of the layer works. Material is still being carted in from the approved source, with the cement stabilisation process scheduled to start as early as next week. The drainage network on the entire section of the road has been improved, with minor concrete structures currently being constructed for erosion control.
The intended final completion date is set for 18 September 2024.
The Gwaing project is still in its construction phase with 65% works completed.
The main focus areas currently are the processing of the layer works, where the team will soon commence with the stabilisation process of the first lane, as material is currently being carted into the site from the approved source. Various other activities are still in process such as the improvement of the drainage network by means of laying new stormwater pipe crossings, which are nearing its completion.
The final completion date set for 18 September 2024.