The Proposed Flood Damage Repair at approximately km 0.50 of Minor Road (OP) 4548, Slangrivier, Western Cape.

The proposed site constitutes a river crossing at approximately km 0.50 of Minor Road (OP) 4548 (also known as Kleynhans Street), situated in the rural settlement of Slangrivier, Western Cape. OP4548 crossed the Slang River by means of a low-level gravel crossing (causeway), which has been entirely washed away due to flooding. Currently, OP4548 crosses the Slang River by means of a temporary pipe structure consisting of two (2) 900mm diameter pipe culverts with gravel fill to ensure that the road remains accessible to the local community and road users.

The proposed site is located approximately 10km southwest of the town of Heidelberg and approximately 40km southeast of the town of Swellendam in the Western Cape. The proposed site is situated to the south of the N2 national road, within the municipal jurisdiction of the Hessequa Local Municipality.

Guillaume Nel Environmental Consultants (GNEC) was appointed by Western Cape Government (WCG): Department of Infrastructure for the proposed emergency works which includes repair of flood damage at approximately km 0.50 of Minor Road (OP) 4548, Slangrivier, Western Cape.

The proposed site constitutes a river crossing at approximately km 0.50 of OP4548 (also known as Kleynhans Street), situated in the settlement of Slangrivier, Western Cape. OP4548 crossed the Slang River by means of a low-level gravel crossing (causeway), which has been entirely washed away due to flooding that occurred in 2024. Currently, OP4548 crosses the Slang River by means of a temporary pipe structure consisting of two (2) 900mm diameter pipe culverts with gravel fill to ensure that the road remains accessible to the local community and road users.

OP4548 is approximately 6.60 metres in width, with the existing temporary crossing structure (pipe culverts) having a width of approximately 6.00 metres and a height/depth of 0.90 metres.

It is proposed that the temporary pipe culverts crossing the Slang River at km 0.50 of OP4548 be replaced with a three (3) new 2400mm x 900mm in-situ reinforced concrete box culverts with riprap protection works, new reinforced concrete road slabs with cut-offs and riprap protection, as well as the provision of two-way traffic along the proposed crossing structure. The proposed low-level river crossing (causeway) will have a width of 6.80 metres and a length of approximately 31.10 metres, thereby covering an increasing section of the existing gravel road. The proposed development footprint will be approximately 212 square metres in extent.