Major repair work required on Kloof Road over the next two years

19 January 2024

The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate would like to remind all residents, road users and businesses of the closure of Kloof Road between Kloofnek Road and Round House Road, connecting Town Center and Camps Bay. The road is expected to be closed for the next 24 months. Road signs for alternative routes have been erected. Read more below:

‘This section of Kloof Road is unfortunately deemed unsafe for use due to the extreme storm damage and requires major repairs. Residents and visitors are advised to stay clear of this portion of the road. We have to ensure the safety of the community as a major slope failure occurred along the road last year and a portion of the road itself has been damaged and washed away. We can unfortunately not risk the safety of the public to open up the road to any extent and are trying our utmost to do the remedial work as soon as possible.

‘It is important to note that the area where the slope failure occurred is under SANParks management and the City has to consider the environmental aspects of the remedial works as well. Obtaining all of the required permits takes additional time as construction is prohibited without it.

‘The estimated 24-month period may therefore change depending on these variables. We appreciate the understanding and support from the community as we take on this major project,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.

The mountainside appears to be rock, but is in fact decomposed granite and as such crumbles easily, which makes working on the project high risk and requires meticulous stabilisation.

The City has thus far briefed the Consulting Engineers and the necessary investigations are ongoing.

Road users are requested to use alternative routes during this period. These routes will be via Geneva Drive and Segdemoor Road in Camps Bay that will take road users to join Lower Kloof Road.

The level nine storm event over the long weekend of 24 September 2023 caused major landslides across Cape Town. The volume of rain over that weekend in an already saturated environment caused uncontrolled surface water runoff, which resulted in the instability of the embankment. This instability caused a slip failure of the slope along Kloof Road, meaning, the road surface and underlying layers are currently unstable and therefore not safe for public access.

In order to repair the huge slip, the City’s Urban Mobility directorate will be investigating a design that will stabilise the ‘toe’ of the collapsed slope which will then allow for new material to be imported to fill the hole created by the slip.

The City will continue to partner with SANParks, as the owner of the land below the slip, on various aspects of this project.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office

repairs and maintenance road closures