Transport and Public Works

(1)        Whether he or his Department was informed of the recent renovations to Chapman’s Peak Drive; if so, (a) when and (b) what motivation was given for this work to be done;

(2)        whether he has seen any professional reports to substantiate the need and cost for this renovation and the choice and suitability of the treatment being undertaken; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) can these reports be made available;

(3)        whether any of the user groups were consulted beforehand; if so, what are the relevant details;

(4)        whether his Department is monitoring the quality of the work being undertaken; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

      *(1)(a)       Chapman’s Peak Drive has been declared a toll road in terms of the Western Cape Toll Roads Act, Act 11 of 1999 and a concessionaire, Entilini Concession (Pty) Ltd has been contracted to manage the road for a thirty year period ending in December 2033. Regular management and oversight meetings between the Concessionaire and the Department take place. The Department was made aware in the meeting of 09 February 2017 that the planned reseal of the road would be taking place in the summer of 2017. 

    (b)        In terms of the Concession Agreement it is required that the Concessionaire maintains and manages the road.  There was thus no motivation to the Department required for the work to be undertaken.  All routine work is undertaken at the cost of the Concessionaire.

(2)(a)       The proposed specifications for the seal were prepared by a firm of professional civil engineers appointed by the Concessionaire.  These specifications were scrutinised by the Independent Engineer, a person jointly appointed by the Department and the Concessionaire in terms of the Concession Agreement. 

(b)       The technical specification for the reseal can be made available.

(3)       It is not common practice for any specific user groups to be consulted on technical specifications for routine road maintenance operations. The general public are kept informed where road closures are involved.  In this case the Entilini website had all necessary information available and the local radio stations were kept abreast of all road closures affecting the general public.

(4)       The Department does monitor the overall management, technical and financial aspects of the Concession Agreement both through the appointed Independent Engineer and through regular oversight meetings by professional engineers attached to the Department.  The work under discussion has not been completed and the road is still effectively a construction site.