Minister Carlisle: Chapman's Peak Drive Open to Traffic

Robin Carlisle, the Minister for Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, has announced the re-opening of Chapman's Peak Drive.

"I would like to thank all members of the team that worked from daybreak yesterday through to 21:00, when the road was re-opened to traffic."

At 16:00 on Tuesday a rock fell onto the road's centre line, near the half tunnel on the Noordhoek side of the drive. The rock fall was almost certainly the result of the heavy rains on the slopes of Chapman's Peak and, as is the case with all Level 4 rock falls, the road was closed immediately.

"The team assessed the slopes above the road for further risks, repaired the crater in the road and the Low Energy Barrier that was damaged by the falling rock."

"And they did this, often in pouring rain, in just one day. I would like to thank our engineers and all the other workers involved for their outstanding work."

"They have declared the risk area safe, but I would like to assure motorists that we will, as always, keep a close eye on those slopes."

"The safety of locals and tourists continues to be our top priority."

Late yesterday evening, a three-man team added the finishing touches to the repair of the 50-metre-long Low Energy Barrier that was damaged by the rock, which left a crater in the road that measured about 30 cm wide and 20 cm deep.

By this time the crater had already been repaired.