Two months after devastating storms, Western Cape roads still closed and communities isolated

The Western Cape has entered the next phase of its recovery from the deadly storms that struck the province nearly two months ago, with authorities warning that rebuilding damaged roads and bridges will take years and require billions of rand.

While the emergency response has largely been completed, 51 provincial roads are still closed and dozens of farming communities grappling with the aftermath of the disaster, including 64 farms that remain without electricity.

Premier Alan Winde and infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers on Monday evening provided an update on the province’s infrastructure repair programme, saying the storms caused widespread destruction, damaging 230 provincial roads, displacing about 200,000 people, claiming 11 lives and leaving an estimated R9bn repair bill.

“We have moved beyond the disaster response, and now it’s about rebuilding the roads that were washed away,” Winde said.

“In some areas, it will take up to two years to repair the damage.”

He said some roads had been so severely affected that river courses had changed completely, requiring engineers to redesign infrastructure rather than simply rebuild it.

“How do you rebuild a road where there is a new river course? We don’t want a busload of schoolchildren ending up upside down because the infrastructure can’t cope,” Winde said.

Securing funding was one of the province’s biggest challenges, with departments redirecting money from other infrastructure projects while awaiting additional support from the National Treasury and the national government.

“We’re already using money that was budgeted for other projects to keep the economy moving. As additional funding becomes available, we’ll be able to replace those funds and continue with the planned projects.”

Simmers said engineering assessments on several damaged sites were nearing completion, allowing the province to move ahead with temporary access solutions and permanent reconstruction.

Procurement for 19 emergency infrastructure contracts was being fast-tracked.

“The first phase of the works will focus on restoring access across the damaged bridges, which is critical for affected communities,” Simmers said.

He added that demolition work would be required on some structures before four compromised bridge spans could be replaced.

Winde also expressed concern that 64 farms remain without electricity.

“I am distressed that there are still places without power.”

He said Eskom had recorded about 9,000 electricity outages during the storms, and provincial officials continued to meet the utility daily to monitor restoration efforts.

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