Despite a public commitment to re-open Chapman’s Peak later this month, the Entilini Concession has informed the Western Cape government that it will not meet its deadline, due to the weather, the construction worker strike, and the delay in construction material delivery (the material previously came from Switzerland, but the supplier has gone bankrupt, and it now has to be imported from Japan), which hampered and delayed construction on one of the most beautiful scenic drives in South Africa, according to a report in the Cape Argus.

 

The route, which links Noordhoek and Hout Bay, has been closed for over a year, due to rockfalls, despite having been extensively rebuilt in the past few years to prevent rockfalls.

 

Given the monies that the Western Cape government has to pay Entilini if the drive is not open, cynical Capetonians are saying that it is not in the interest of the company to re-open the route, and therefore are calling for the cancellation of the contract the Western Cape province has with the route operator.

 

No new re-opening date has been announced for Chapman’s Peak.

 

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