The popular Steenbras Access Road that leads from Clarence Drive up towards a lookout point at the entrance of Steenbras Dam remains closed to the public more than two and a half years after flood damage in December 2022.
The scenic route is a favourite among motorists, pedestrians, and hikers, but despite ongoing repair efforts by the City of Cape Town a definite reopening date remains elusive.
Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation, was asked to provide an update on the progress, and he acknowledged the significant delays.
“The permanent road repair requires extensive work,” he explained. “The conceptual design has been completed, but environmental authorisation, including the compilation of a Maintenance Management Plan (MMP) and a Water Use Licence Agreement (Wula), is still in process due to the site’s proximity to a watercourse.”
Badroodien added that the City anticipated the completion of the detailed design in the 2026 financial year, followed by an estimated 18-month procurement process. Construction is then expected to take about three to four months.
This timeline pushes the potential reopening well into late 2027 or early 2028, a significant extension from earlier estimations.
Approximately R1,1 million has been spent on the repairs so far. Previous updates indicated that the City had invested around R2,33 million by March last year, with two of the three severely damaged sites having been repaired using gabions. (“Access road to Steenbras viewpoint still closed after storm“, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 20 March 2024).
The third and most complex site requires specialist engineering, which has been a major contributing factor to the delays.
Asked about the bright white lights recently installed at the lookout point near the facility entrance, Badroodien confirmed the installation of LED perimeter lights. “An investigation is currently underway to determine if they can be dimmed,” he said, addressing concerns raised by residents.
The City has consistently maintained that the road remains closed to all members of the public, including motorists, pedestrians and hikers, due to ongoing safety concerns.
This stance has been met with disappointment by local running clubs and individuals who have used the road for a number of years (“Steenbras access road remains closed“, 10 May 2023).
Queries regarding allowing partial access to the already repaired sections have been dismissed due to difficulties in patrolling and controlling public access further up the road.
You must be logged in to post a comment.