VIDEO – Residents left speechless over ‘boom’-gate between Carolina and Chrissiesmeer
The fee for using this private detour is R20 for regular vehicles and R50 for trucks.
Videos of a makeshift wooden “tollgate” or “boom”-gate have surfaced on TikTok, with commentators left speechless—likely because they lack the context of what is happening.
A farmer between Chrissiesmeer and Carolina came up with the smart idea to capitalise after the P177 road between the two towns was closed following the collapse of a corrugated metal culvert bridge on 28 December, which caused extensive damage to the road surface and necessitated its immediate closure to ensure public safety.
Repairs are still underway, but authorities have not provided any indication of when they will be completed.
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In the meantime, traffic continues to be rerouted via the Carolina/Breyten route, which has become the primary alternative for motorists travelling to and from Chrissiesmeer.
However, this route is not only riddled with potholes but also adds extra travel time.
The farmer decided to create a detour on his private land to bypass the section under repair.
Motorists pass through a makeshift gate.
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The fee for using this private detour is R20 for regular vehicles and R50 for trucks.
Alet Cloete, a local resident, said she gladly pays the fee to avoid the alternative route.
In an effort to obtain more information on the progress of the road repairs, Highvelder contacted Thapelo Phetla, spokesperson for the Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality.
Phetla confirmed that he had approached the provincial office and the Department of Public Works for answers but had yet to receive any feedback.
He provided the newspaper with the contact details of Public Works spokesperson Bongani Dhlamini.
Questions regarding the expected completion timeline, possible reasons for the delays, and safety measures were sent to Dhlamini on 24 January.
He assured that he would provide answers as soon as he had the necessary details.
However, no further feedback has been received, and a follow-up email on 28 January remains unanswered.
