Installation of a motorised pont at Malgas

The current hand-drawn pont at Malgas was installed for the purpose of transporting people, animals, vehicles, equipment and goods across the Breede River more than a century ago. It is a piece of equipment (a craft) and could be considered part of the “yellow-fleet” of the Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW).

After careful consideration, the DTPW has decided not to build a permanent bridge structure, but to replace the current pont with a larger, motorised pont capable of safely transporting people, vehicles, equipment and goods from one side of the Breede River to the other. This is essential as vehicle types that need this vital crossing includes larger farming equipment and buses for people dependent on public transport, in addition to light motor and delivery vehicles. It will further ease the movement of large construction vehicles such as graders for the maintenance of gravel roads in the area. Visitors to the area will also benefit from this pont to safely cross the Breede River free of charge which would have a positive effect on tourism in the area.

Key considerations in this decision were as follows:

The old hand-drawn pont is beyond repair and is a hazard to public safety. It must therefore be decommissioned and removed from the river.

The new pont meets the requirement to transport large equipment which will greatly assist in road maintenance in the area.

The hazardous nature of the pont has been independently confirmed by the South African Maritime Safety Association (SAMSA). The steel rope spanned across the Breede River for the use of the old hand-drawn pont is a further hazard to public safety. Once the old pont has been decommissioned, the steel rope will be removed.

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) has advised that a heritage impact assessment is not necessary for the decommissioning of the old pont. In terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 (Act 25 of 1999) (NHRA), the construction of the new pont and its associated construction activities does not trigger a section 38(1) NHRA development application and the development of the new pont does therefore not fall under the jurisdiction of either SAHRA or Heritage Western Cape. The old pont will remain in the area until a permit is obtained to remove the old pont from the Malgas area, if so required. The old pont is however considered to hold heritage significance, and since the pont is provincial government property, in terms of the NHRA, a Section 9 (Rights, duties and exemptions of State and supported bodies) process must be followed with SAHRA for the removal and ultimate fate of the old pont.

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) was consulted, who advised that the decommissioning of the old pont does not require environmental approval from said Department as the decommissioning does not trigger any listed activities in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act 107 of 1998) (“NEMA”) Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) Regulations of 2014 (as amended). Specifically, the decommissioning of the pont does not trigger Activity 31 of Listing Notice 1 of the NEMA EIA Regulations, 2014 (as amended). As such, no EIA is required for the decommissioning of the pont.

The motorised pont is currently being constructed in the area and a date for its operationalisation will be made public once it is confirmed but the DTPW is eager to have this date as soon as possible to ensure improved service delivery to the area and enhance safety measures.

DTPW is further excited to note that the fee to use the pont has been removed. This means that with the new motorised pont, residents and visitors to the area will be able to safely and conveniently cross the Breede River, for free.

While the DTPW acknowledges that the old craft may carry sentimental value to some, the safety of the users, and especially the operators/staff remains our top priority. No decisions have been taken as to what will be done with the old craft after its removal from the river.