Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
- (a) What is the name of the company that designed the structure that replaced the old low-water crossing at the Algeria Campsite in the Cederberg Nature Reserve, (b) what was the total construction cost of this structure, including the (i) costs for environmental impact studies and (ii) loss of income during the construction phase and (c)(i) when did construction start and (ii) when was the finished structure completed and handed over to CapeNature;
- given the fact that the structure was exposed as unfit for purpose by the June 2023 floods, whether legal recourse is available to CapeNature to claim for damages; if so, (a) against which company will the claim be submitted and (b) what would the total costs be to repair the damage;
(3) whether the structure will be redesigned to allow for future water run-off to follow the stream and not to find lower-laying alternatives for the water to flow due to the current design of the river-crossing; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(1) (a) Naylor, Naylor & Van Schalkwyk Consulting Engineers designed the structure that replaced the old low-water crossing at the Algeria Campsite in the Cederberg Nature Reserve.
(b) The total cost of construction cost of the structure was R2 743 430.34.
(i) The cost of the environmental impact studies was R250 000.
(ii) 39 bookings to the value of R60 348.63 were refunded.
(c)
(i) Construction commenced on 9 November 2021.
(ii) The structure was completed and handed over to CapeNature on 19 April 2022.
(2) There are no grounds for legal recourse in this instance as the June 2023 rain event is considered an extreme flood event. The low water bridge was designed and constructed with typical weather recorded for the site. Damages are therefore not considered to be a latent defect due to either the design or construction. The Department of Infrastructure played an oversight role and function and confirmed that the project was delivered to specification.
(a) No claims will be submitted to any company as there is no grounds for legal recourse.
(b) The total cost of repair to the damage is R2 743 430.34 and includes repairs to the low water bridge, the river bank and the approach roads. The cost is inclusive of engineering fees.
(3) Yes, the structure will be redesigned to allow for future water run-off to follow the stream, taking into consideration a 1-in-60 year flood, as was the June 2023 event. Additional mitigation measures include additional gabion support and reno mattresses.
