Press Release
24 June 2022
The Bainskloof Pass between Wellington and Ceres has been reopened for traffic after being closed for extensive road works.
In 2018, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works awarded ERO Engineers a contract for the periodic maintenance of a section of MR27 and MR201, better known as Bainskloof Pass. Its reopening was celebrated at an event in Wellington last week.
Bainskloof is an historic 18km mountain pass between Wellington and Ceres through the Limietberg Nature Reserve. Measured from the bridge over the Breede River to the outskirts of Wellington, the road is 26.8km long. The original dry masonry pass was built by Andrew Geddes Bain between 1849 and 1853 using convict labour. Bainskloof was declared a national monument in 1980.
The main design improvements include pavement improvements by repairing and resealing the existing road, and drainage improvements by deepening and lining side drains. Safety improvements include reinstating the masonry wall and stone boulders at steep drops. Some slopes also required stabilisation.
This R317m contract provided R80.6m of work for targeted enterprises, R16.6m of work for local enterprises, and R17.9m of work for emerging contractors. A total of 517 short-term Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) work opportunities were created for people from local communities. A further 284 person-days of work were also awarded through this project.
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Issued by: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality
