KNYSNA NEWS - The residents of the informal extension of Lower Pezula in Hornlee say they are becoming increasingly frustrated about the condition of the access road serving their community, which has been partially damaged and is restricting access to some neighbouring residences.

The community members claim they have repeatedly reported the issue to the Knysna Municipality, but have received little feedback on when any repairs will be undertaken.

They said they had been informed on several occasions that municipal teams would be sent to assess and address the damage, but no repair work has yet commenced.

The damaged section of road has raised concerns among the residents, who say the lack of communication from the relevant municipal departments has left them uncertain about when the situation will be resolved.

Knysna Municipality's director of infrastructure services, Reginald Wesso, confirmed that the municipality is aware of the damage to this access road. 

He said following the incident, the directors of Infrastructure Services and Integrated Human Settlements conducted a site visit on 5 June. Integrated Human Settlements has since received approval to appoint a geo-technical engineer, and an assessment and recommendations are currently pending.

Infrastructure Services has appointed an existing service provider to investigate access-related concerns, and further on-site assessments were scheduled for 24 June.

"The findings of the geo-technical and access assessments will determine the cause of the road collapse, the scope of any required repairs and the most appropriate intervention," said Wesso. "No repair work can commence until these assessments have been completed."

In the meantime, the municipality said it is exploring alternative access options for affected residents. An existing informal road currently provides access to the lower section of the settlement, and the possibility of extending this route is being considered as part of the ongoing assessment process.

Wesso acknowledged the impact the damaged road is having on residents and said the municipality recognises the urgency of addressing both the access challenges and any potential slope stability concerns. 

"The municipality wishes to assure the community that the matter is receiving priority attention," he said. "The urgency of resolving both slope stability and access concerns is fully recognised."

At the time of going to press, Knysna Municipality had not provided an update on the outcome of the site visits and assessments scheduled for 24 June, despite requests for comment, and it remained unclear when repair work on the damaged access road would commence and the costs thereof.

The access road in Lower Pezula, Hornlee, after the severe weather conditions during May and June had caused extensive damage.

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