I AM concerned about the situation regarding the road works on the R301 between Pearl Valley all the way through to the R45/R301 crossing (Wemmershoek Road).
The road works started at the beginning of this year and is still not near completion.
For weeks on end there are days with no work being done on the road and only the traffic controllers are present.
Twice in this time I have been told to go, only to find a string of traffic approaching me; luckily I was not going over the hill near Drakenstein prison since then I would have been involved in a head-on collision.
Worst of all is that the piece of road that has been tarred already has potholes in it and the quality of the new road shows no improvement compared to the previous road.
Who was the job given to? Do they have the proper qualifications?
Has the company who was allocated the tender’s money run out?
I heard a rumour that it was given to a BEE company who subcontracted the job, but then used all the money so they cannot pay their subcontractors and this is why no progress is being made.
Is anyone from the government’s road department following up or checking up on this project?
A road in Cape Town (the Plattekloof road) was re-tarred on a weekend last month and it was perfectly done. Why the lack of progress on the R301?
There are restaurants along this stretch of road that are suffering because of the road works.
Our British guests that stayed here this past summer have already enquired about the road works - they do not want to return while it is still on, since we are in the middle of this and they are affected in both directions, both to Paarl and Franschhoek.
Besides these guests not wanting the inconvenience, they are also joking about the third world experience of the whole situation and I cannot believe that it has taken so long and nothing is happening.
We have had three vehicle’s windshields damaged and I have had thin tar streaks removed from my car, this from the small stretch of road they did eventually tar.
I would really appreciate it if I could get some answers.
I support work being given to BEE contractors, but I do expect them to be able to maintain standards and efficiency.
I do not see why I need to downscale my standards to accommodate the project.
Elmaré Augustyn
Len Fourie, Assistant Executive Manager of the Provincial Roads Network Management at the Department of Transport and Public Works, responds: Contract C910 which includes the works on the R301 commenced on 21 September 2010 with a programmed completion date of 20 March 2012 with a project duration of 18 months.
Delays have been experienced on site due to inclement weather as well as due to the contractor having to re-work some sections of new layerworks on the R301 due to poor workmanship.
The expected completion date of the two sections of rehabilitation on the R301 is the end of September 2011. The patching and re-surfacing of the remainder of the R301 be-tween Boschenmeer and the R45 Franschhoek intersection is expected to be completed by April 2012.
No record of any complaint by the complainant with respect to poor accommodation of traffic is on record.
The Department of Transport and Public Works does however place a high priority on road user safety and an investigation has already commenced to properly investigate this complaint.
It is noted that on a number of occasions motorists have refused to obey the STOP/GO controller’s instructions to stop and have proceeded past the control point, leading to opposing traffic travelling in a single lane closure.
Due to the extremely cold and wet conditions experienced during the months of May and June, isolated surfacing failures developed in the new surfacing seal on the rehabilitation sections on the R301.
These areas will be repaired by the contractor at their cost as soon as weather conditions allow.
We can confirm that Contract C910 was advertised by way of public tender and the project was awarded to Brink and Heath Civils, an experienced road construction contractor based on the 90/10 price/preferential procurements system.
Any claims for damage to motorists’ vehicles while travelling on the R301 during construction can be forwarded to the contractor for their further investigation (tel 021 905 3952).
