The residents of the Elim and B’bos areas can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The long-awaited project to upgrade roads between Gansbaai and Bredasdorp has finally been launched. The officially named the Gansbaai-Bredasdorp Project, valued at R277 million has been undertaken by the Department of Transport and Public Works and set into motion on the 11th of April 2013.
The upgraded roads will connect the towns of Gansbaai, Elim and Bredasdorp and ultimately result in boosting local economy and creating a tourist corridor. The project will also finally address the subject of infrastructure needs this high-potential area so desperately needs.
The launch event took place in Elim and poetically so, with the current leg being called Uilenkraal to Elim phase. This current phase includes the upgrading of the rural gravel roads. The road from Uilenkraalsmond to just east of Elim will be under construction, making up part of the roughly 29km up for reconstruction. Initial work began in January 2013 and thus some stretches of road is already constructed. The full project is expected to be finished in late 2015.
The full project will include upgrades to the roads leading through Baardskeerdersbos (B’Bos) and Elim. The upgrades will also include paving, kerbs and footways, all keeping in mind the atmosphere and cultural background of these two historic and artistic villages.
The Project also brings a silver lining for the surrounding communities as workers will be obtained from the villages themselves. Workers will be selected via public processes and with the help of the communities involved to make the process fair. So while building up their communities, community members will also benefit and learn valuable skills from the opportunity.
