The Lange Forest Pass on the R412 road has officially been closed to traffic. It was closed Saturday. The closure allows road engineers to move in and do a thorough inspection as this 17km road shows signs of structural damage to the road surface and cracks on the bridge pillars.
The damage to this road which branches off the R61 connecting Ugie and Mthatha is partly due to the steep and mountainous topography where this road is constructed, over the Ncembu escarpment as well as the heavy-duty trucks, often fully loaded with logs and farm produce.
The series of possibly Climate Change induced severe floods that, over the years appear to have been eating away on the very ground the pillars of the pass are anchored in, have seemingly fast-tracked the damage on the road. This has resulted in the formation of transverse and longitudinal cracks and displacement and sagging of the road, deeming the pass a severe safety hazard for anyone using it hence the decision to close.
The closure is until the inspection is done.
