Clarity needed on the R61 upgrade
Some businessmen are scared their businesses might be negatively affected.
SOUTH Coast businessmen were not satisfied with the presentation on the upgrade of the R61 between Southbroom and Umtamvuna at a consultative workshop held at the Hibiscus Coast Municipality council chambers on Monday.
The South African National Roads Agency presented a comprehensive power point slide show on which areas would be affected by the upgrade.
Businessmen felt that the upgrade would affect their businesses in a negative way, especially those who owned businesses in Port Edward.
“SANRAL has failed to communicate with us as business owners,” said one angry businessmen at the meeting. He added that some business owners were still in the dark about the upgrade.
“We need a detailed presentation on when this upgrade will start, and on how it will affect our businesses,” he said. He added that talk on the upgrade had started in 2013 but it had taken SANRAL a year and a half to provide feedback on the latest developments.
“We are disappointed with this presentation,” said Cllr Dave Watson, who added that he expected that SANRAL would have done a detailed micro social study or research showing how the upgrade would affect the community.
HCM deputy mayor Johnny de Wet suggested that everyone calm down and asked if it was possible for SANRAL to engage with those businesses which might be affected.
“It is also very important that South Coast attraction areas are protected during the upgrades,” he said.
Businessmen requested that SANRAL and HCM organise a workshop where everyone could interact, not just a presentation, and asked that those businesses which were still in the dark be represented as well as the amakhosi who might be affected.
