The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate has advised road users and members of the public of the closure of Jakes Gerwel Drive at Viking Road, in the direction of the N2, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The City’s Roads Infrastructure Management Department is currently intervening, after an inspection revealed that the integrity of the road was being impacted, following the discovery of digging under the bridge that has caused surface failure of this segment of the road.
This is according to a press statement issued by the City.
‘Jakes Gerwel Drive, where it intersects with Viking Road, remains closed and will most likely remain so until the City’s Roads Infrastructure Management team can implement appropriate measures to ensure the road user’s safety,’ said Councillor Rob Quintas, Mayco Member for Urban Mobility.
In addition, a tunnel appears to have been dug under the Bonteheuwel Bridge.
‘This past Friday we made the startling discovery of this road’s integrity being compromised,’ said Quintas.
‘It appears that there are people who have been digging out the sand under this bridge which has led to a segment of the road being vulnerable to collapse. At this stage, closure would be the best safety measure,’ Quintas added.
Road users are advised to avoid the N7 Jakes Gerwel Drive southbound at Viking Road and to use alternative routes while the City continues its interventions and repair work.
The City has also stated that certain community members have continued to remove material under this bridge and has requested that the practice should ‘stop immediately’.
Members of the public who spot anyone removing anything under his bridge have also been urged to report the matter to the City’s call centre.