MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Dear SANRAL, Act NOW on the N2 Before we Have Another Disaster of Epic Proportions

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The current state of the section of the N2 between the New Brighton beach turnoff and Smelly Creek is a bigger disaster about to happen. In fact I now choose an alternative route whenever possible.

Before you read on let me first explain that I am not a civil engineer and that these concerns are those of someone noticing the steady decline of infrastructure all around over many years – tempered with comments from engineers who know what they are doing but are fearful of ‘going public’ lest their reputations crash and burn in the inevitable backlash from government.

Well, you know that I have no reputation to protect and am quite willing to blunder about making a point.

In the last 6 weeks we have had two ‘supermoon’ incidents resulting in rocks, sand and sea water engulfing the sea side of this particular stretch of the N2.

Let’s go back in history just a bit to understand just why this stretch of the N2 is a disaster in waiting:

This stretch of road is built on reclaimed land. Before the advent of this road there were long beaches all the way from New Brighton Beach to the mouth of the Port of Port Elizabeth. In fact the North End beach was very popular for hosting motorbike races on the sand.

Then along came the apartheid government with a plan to export manganese and goods via rail. Needing a flat approach into the harbour and unable to build a railway line through existing industry the decision was made to reclaim land on the sea side of industry and, in the process, destroyed Smelly Creek. Smelly Creek was the estuary of the Papenkuils River and gained a stellar reputation for it’s diverse aquatic birdlife, especially flamingos. Apparently the ‘Smelly’ part of the name arose from industrial waste which had been discharged there in 1953. Unfortunately for the birds there the misnomer has stuck ever since.

Now two things happened in 1963 to hasten the demise of Smelly Creek:

  1. The South African Railways and Harbours (SAR&H) made known their developmental plans for the sea front and
  2. The Dolosse were invented with their first installation on the East London Harbour wall.

And, despite the efforts of the Eastern Cape Wild Bird Society, we all know what happened next – the land was reclaimed, the birds lost out, the people of New Brighton and North End lost their magnificent beaches and this section of the N2 was established.

Societies, people and governments all over the world continue to learn and then promptly forget a simple lesson; “Don’t fuck with Mother Nature”.

My Concerns:

  • The reclaimed land will still have a high water table.
  • The sea’s continuous wave action against the reclaimed land will continue to shake and settle the N2 land – like aggregate when mixing concrete.
  • Water will travel under the road and erode weak patches of bad fill.

And then , one day, a section or more of the road will collapse – hopefully with no vehicles, drivers and passenger being harmed in the process. Of course the added load of Manganese Trucks pounding this road with their massive loads is doing nothing to help the situation.

And, much to a section of my reading populations delight, I did not mention climate change once!

And, in case you missed it, that section of road is presently closed:

On Friday 23 August 2024, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) advised motorists that the N2 highway between John Tallant and Settlers Way in Gqeberha had been closed to traffic.

The decision was made after the city experienced tidal flooding for the second consecutive day this week.

Rock debris from the ocean has necessitated the closure and traffic is being diverted via John Tallant Road in Deal Party from the N2. Motorists are advised to obey instructions from traffic officials to avoid serious damage to their vehicles.

“We appeal to motorists to cooperate with traffic officials, and follow diversions when they deem them necessary, for their own safety. The road maintenance team will do everything in their power to ensure all obstacles are cleared and will determine when it is safe to reopen,” said Mbulelo Peterson, Regional Manager for SANRAL’s Southern Region.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.