Residents rejoice as roadworks begin

NIEU-BETHESDA NEWS — Residents of Nieu-Bethesda and Pienaarsig were delighted last week when GS Civils started working on the roads around the village.

According to Counsellor Linda Botha, there was a bit of confusion initially around the hiring of the cricket field by GS Civils where trailer homes were brought in for accommodation, causing some delay.

This has now been sorted out and workers will be relocated to the old municipal camping ground. Residents also raised the question as to why the repairs on the Ganora stretch were being started before work on the MR605, which is in a shocking condition.

According to site manager Francois Coetzee, the reason for this is that labourers all had to undergo medicals before they could commence duty. These were arranged for Tuesday, September 12, so in the interim, not wanting to waste time and money, it was decided to begin on an area where labour is not yet needed for flags, two-way radios and points men.

According to Coetzee to simply ‘wet blade’ the MR605 (between de Doren and Sam’s drift) would be futile, as the road was initially prepared for tarring and this would be ‘putting a plaster on the problem’. It has subsequently been decided that the road will be ripped and then reshaped and prepared to create a good quality dirt road that will last longer than simply grading the top. During this time a ‘stop-go’ will be implemented to avoid residents having to drive the long way around via Bethesda Raod Station to get to the village.

The contract with GS Civils is a 30 month one. The project covers all provincial gravel roads in the old Camdeboo LMA area including Aberdeen, Camdeboo, Nieu-Bethesda and Kendrew. Once all the roads have been upgraded, the contract will continue to maintain the roads until the contract ends. During this time, Counsellor Linda Botha hopes to escalate the tarring of the MR605 stretch to the Department of Roads and Public Works.

Residents of Nieu-Bethesda are grateful for the work that Counsellor Botha and concerned citizens have done to get this essential project on the go. They also welcome GS Civils to the community for the next few months.