Another John Ross Highway collapse
A section of the highway has been cordoned off pending repair
THE shoulder of the left westbound John Ross Highway has again collapsed near the Woodchip Glade intersection in Richards Bay.
A section of the highway has been cordoned off pending repair.
The latest cave-in is close to where a previous collapse happened in 2017, causing the left lane of the carriageway to be closed to traffic for some months after two ‘sinkholes’ appeared, about 40-metres apart.
Once again, the damaged section is close to a culvert and excess rain appears to have scoured out the sand and undermined the road surface.
Along with other heavy-duty vehicles using the highway, huge timber trucks drive daily on that section of road towards the woodchip mills.
The Department of Transport (DoT), and not the uMhlathuze Municipality, is responsible for the maintenance of the highway.
‘We are already onto it,’ DoT spokesperson Malusi Thabede told the Zululand Observer on Tuesday afternoon.
‘Our team is on site and we are waiting for the necessary stone filler to arrive.
‘We estimate the repair will take about a week.’
Thabede said the digging open of service trenches by cable thieves has contributed to the collapse of roads as this interfered with the drainage system and normal rainwater run-off.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
