Cables finally being removed
The old aerial cableway which runs from Barberton to Swaziland is falling down in places, posing a threat to people travelling on the road.
BARBERTON – The provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport (DPWRT) has finally started removing it.
The cables have been reported to pose a danger to motorists and at some places have fallen down to the road due to their deterioration.
They used to support a mining conveyor belt from Swaziland to Barberton, but it is no longer in use.
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Zelda Schwalbach, Sappi communications manager, said, over the years, Sappi has expressed concerns about the state of the cableway.
Sappi cannot state with complete certainty to whom the cableway that runs between Barberton and Swaziland belongs.
“Historically, it existed to convey mining material between the two points, and as such, has always spanned a certain portion of Sappi’s land, particularly our Twello plantation.”
According to Schwalbach, the area underneath the cableway is kept clear with an unplanted servitude the same way they treat Eskom power lines which traverse their property.
This is a safety requirement to keep forestry activities beneath and near the cableway to a minimum. Over the years, Sappi has expressed concerns about the state of the cableway, which has shown major signs of deterioration due to wear, tear and exposure to weather conditions and lack of maintenance,” added Schwalbach.
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Bongani Dhlamini, spokesman for DPWRT, said the cables have always hung low over the road in some sections.
The cable is not a live electric cable as its usage has been discontinued and left unattended. During the departmental routine roads inspection, it was discovered that the cables have fallen on the road. Some sections were removed and the department is in the process of finalising the removal of the remaining cable,’’ said Dhlamini.
