Four days after a new construction work permit was issued for the Brackenfell Boulevard road upgrade, the site remained eerily quiet on Monday morning, with little sign of activity along Brackenfell Boulevard or Stanley Street after nearly a month of stalled work.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED), which is overseeing the road upgrade linked to the construction of a new school, confirmed that work was temporarily suspended after the contractor’s permit expired.

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According to WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond, the contractor, M&E, had applied timeously for an extension before the permit lapsed, but while the Department of Employment and Labour was processing the application, no new permit number had been issued, legally requiring work to stop.

“In terms of the applicable legislation, construction work may not continue without a valid permit. The contractor applied for an extension before the permit expired. However, while the application was being processed by the Department of Employment and Labour, a new permit number had not yet been issued, requiring the contractor to suspend work until approval was received,” Bronagh said.

Work ‘allegedly’ resumed on Friday

The new permit was issued on Wednesday 8 October, and work “allegedly” resumed on Thursday 9 October, according to her.

The roadworks began in late August along sections of Brackenfell Boulevard, Stanley Road and Saul Street, and were originally scheduled for completion on Friday 18 September, weather permitting.

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Motorists have been left to deal with continued delays and holdups as the site was abandoned for nearly a month, while pedestrians have had to navigate the incomplete roadworks with nowhere to walk.

Hammond said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused to motorists, pedestrians and residents during this period and appreciate their patience while the statutory requirements were being finalised. The department will continue to monitor progress to ensure that the project is completed as efficiently as possible.”