CAPE TOWN - Illegal sand mining has destroyed numerous bridges, road shoulders and medians across Cape Town.
In appealing to residents to help put a stop to the phenomenon, the City of Cape Town’s Transport mayco member Rob Quintas visited Khayelitsha outside the Mew Way Community Hall, to investigate the impact.
Some of the infrastructure that has been damaged due to sand mining include:
- Pama Bridge in Khayelitsha
- Lindela Road Bridge in Khayelitsha - the footway and guardrail collapsed
- Bridge at Govan Mbeki across railway line - the footway and guardrail collapsed in Brown’s Farm Philippi close to the Fezeka Municipal Building
- Footway bridge at Lower crossroads - total collapse in Lower Crossroads, off Ngqwangi drive Philippi
- Steve Biko Drive in Gugulethu
- Klipfontein Road in Tambo Village
- Waterberg Road, Heideveld - Footbridge across the Railway line
“The bridge in Waterberg Road in Heideveld was severely affected by this illicit practice multiple times,” Quintas said.
“In 2017, the illegal sand miners dug under the bridge and created a dangerous hollow. The City acted by building a supporting wall and backfilling with compacted sand.
“In 2021, we received another notification of illegal sand mining at the bridge.
“Again, we backfilled all areas and included a concrete layer on the top to prevent further sand mining. Extra milling material was placed against the embankments to prevent the illegal miners from gaining easy access to the sand we used for backfilling.
“This has to stop.
“Illegal sand mining has already cost lives.”
The incidents can be reported to SAPS and the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63.
Cape Times