A motor vehicle accident on the closed section of the Aan-de-Doorns Road in Worcester prompted the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) to issue a public notice that the road remains closed.

The Aan-de-Doorns Road, which links Grey Street with the R43 (Villiersdorp Road), sustained extensive damage during the severe storms of 10 and 11 May this year.

The road has remained officially closed since May, and road users are requested to comply with all road closure measures and warning signs.

Jo-Anne Otto, a spokesperson for CWDM, says that in order to prevent access to the damaged section, the CWDM’s Roads Division placed substantial gravel and soil berms on both approaches to the affected area.

Warning signs removed

She says during daylight hours these barriers are clearly visible and are supplemented by road closure and warning signage. The Municipality says the warning signs have unfortunately been unlawfully removed on several occasions. According to her the Roads Division has replaced the signage repeatedly since May.

“Following these incidents, the Western Cape Government’s Department of Infrastructure granted permission for the installation of permanent road closure signage and concrete barriers. Before these measures could be implemented, the recent accident occurred.

“As an interim measure, the CWDM’s Roads Division requested the assistance of Breede Valley Municipality’s Traffic Services to help regulate the closed road.” Traffic officers patrolled the area at night between 20:00 and 07:00 until the permanent measures were installed.

The permanent concrete barriers, reflective devices and road closure signage were placed on Friday (7 August). These measures are intended to prevent motorists from accessing the unsafe section of road and to improve the visibility of the road closure, particularly at night.

“The CWDM wishes to remind the public that the unlawful removal of official road signs is a criminal offence. Apart from being illegal, the removal of road closure signage places motorists and other road users at significant risk by compromising important public safety measures.

“Should any individual be found removing or unlawfully in possession of municipal road signage, the Municipality will pursue the appropriate legal action.”