Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has assured residents and farmers that a temporary crossing at the flood-damaged Smalblaar Bridge will be in place before the end of the year, while the permanent restoration of the bridge is expected to take more than 12 months.
The bridge serves as a vital transport link for farms, residents and businesses in the Rawsonville area and was one of the sites Winde visited during a two-day oversight visit to flood-damaged infrastructure in the Central Karoo and Cape Winelands Districts on 16 and 17 July 2026.
During the visit, the Premier met members of the farming community in Rawsonville to discuss progress on the bridge’s reconstruction and the measures being implemented to restore access as quickly as possible.
“These bridges and passes enable businesses to thrive and residents to access opportunities. I understand their importance and am focused on ensuring we get safe solutions in place as quickly as possible,” Winde said.
Winde also assessed damage to the Meiringspoort and Swartberg passes, which were severely affected by recent record-breaking floods. The infrastructure is critical to connecting communities and supporting economic activity across the Klein and Groot Karoo regions.
Meiringspoort, which links De Rust and Klaarstroom, sustained extensive damage during the floods. The route comprises 20 river crossings, all of which were affected, while four major sections of the road were completely washed away.
According to the provincial government, permanent restoration of the pass is expected to take at least two years and cost hundreds of millions of rand.
Restoration work has already started from the De Rust side, with a temporary route expected to be completed by December 2026. Once opened, the road will operate under strict access controls.
Winde also inspected the Swartberg Pass, which was closed following the floods before reopening in June after emergency repairs. During the visit, Department of Infrastructure officials briefed the Premier at the Teeberg Lookout Point on the progress of ongoing restoration work.
The Premier acknowledged infrastructure teams currently working across the province to restore roads and other public infrastructure damaged by the severe weather.
“These recent severe weather events were unprecedented, with hundreds of thousands of people affected, and many hundreds of roads closed. The Western Cape road network connects communities, businesses and families, driving growth and jobs in every town and city.
“There are people on site across the province restoring roads in just about every district. Thank you for the hard work. We have a long way to go still, but we are moving in the right direction,” Winde said.
He also urged road users adhere to road regulations, warning that heavy vehicles should not use the Swartberg Pass.
“The Swartberg pass is not designed for use by heavy motor vehicles, such as semi-trailers and trucks. These vehicles must find alternative routes,nd roads, I urge road users to follow road signs and adhere to warnings,” the Premier said
The Premier is expected to continue receiving regular progress briefings from provincial officials, with further oversight visits to flood-affected districts. – SAnews.gov.za
