Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, today officially reopened Divisional Road 1609 (also known as the Rondevlei Road). Construction project C851, the upgrading of Swartvlei Road to Rondevlei, recently reached practical completion.
“This was a complex project. DR1609 is an important link road providing access from the N2 to smallholdings, forestry and tourism areas. The road section falls within the Wilderness Lake Area, which is considered environmentally sensitive and is protected by the Ramsar convention,” said Jandré Bakker, acting Director of Operational Support at the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure. “This is why the provincial government had to invest more than R114 million in this project.”
Activities included
- DR1609: 6.4km of road upgraded to a Class 3 road.
- DR1625: 0.3km of road upgraded to a Class 3 road.
- Upgrading of two major culverts.
- Drainage work.
- Fencing.
- Implementation of a Tree Management Plan for protected species.
Minister Simmers said, “I am pleased to mention that almost R23,5 million was spent on targeted enterprises against a target of just under R15.5 million. Local contractors saw R1,7 million investment and the project created 82 work opportunities. This is 20 350 person days of work created.”
“While road construction is now complete, the work is far from over,” Minister Simmers continued. “We are now entering a critical phase: the three-year process to rehabilitate the site’s vegetation, guided by environmental and landscape restoration experts. The growth witnessed now is just the natural seeds that were in the topsoil we stored from the site and replaced,” he added.
“This next stage includes re-establishing the route’s unique sense of place and replanting trees that were lost during the construction process. What is especially heartening is that, of the 57 protected species trees that were carefully rescued, 53 have survived thanks to the efforts of our specialist teams – an achievement not to be underestimated,” Minister Simmers said.
It is now vital to replant these trees during their dormant winter phase.
Minister Simmers continued, “Equally significant is our current proposal to plant approximately 20 new seedlings for every protected species tree that could not be saved during construction. This equates to 860 seedlings to replace the 43 protected species trees lost. Importantly, these seedlings are a variety of species, sourced from the same area, which helps preserve the genetic integrity and diversity of the local ecosystem.”
This initiative complements further planned interventions, including hydro-seeding to restore ground cover and prevent erosion. The revised proposal is now awaiting approval from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and will follow the required public participation process.
“We sincerely hope that all stakeholders will support this effort in the best interests of the environment. After years of meticulous care to bring us to this point, it would be heartbreaking to see these trees and seedlings suffer or die,” Minister Simmers concluded.
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