Mop-up operations in Little Karoo continue

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Mop-up operations continue in the Little Karoo following heavy rains and flooding this past week. A number of roads were closed due to floods and rock falls, including the R-328 between Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves.

The Cango Caves, which is a major tourist attraction for the region, was reopened, after being closed for the past three days.

Gerda Jacobs and her family from Rustenburg were delighted to be able to see the caves, before continuing on their trip to Kleinmond.

“We are from Rustenburg and we are on our way to Kleinmond to visit my mother. I have my two grandchildren, my daughter-in-law and my son with me. My daughter-in-law specifically has never been here and we thought it would be nice to drive to Oudtshoorn before going to Kleinmond. We were disappointed yesterday when we heard the caves are closed. But this morning, we took a chance and were very happy to see they reopened and that we could go in,” adds Jacobs.

Operations Manager of the Cango Caves, Alison Moos, says while it meant three days without business, the Caves themselves have benefitted from the rain.

“Cango Caves and surrounding area are very dependent on water because we’re situated in a semi-desert area. So the caves constantly needs water for the formations to grow. So it has its positives and negatives. We are so thankful for the rain, Oudtshoorn needs water, we always need water,” explains Moos.

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The past week saw various entities working together to repair damaged infrastructure, and to assist families who were cut off, with necessities.

Oudtshoorn Mayor, Chris McPherson says, “It just goes to show the cooperation between the various spheres of government. I think at this stage, the most important thing is that there was no loss of life. We had problems with the damage incurred to infrastructure, the low-water bridges and our roads. But with the assistance of the engineers from the province, the roads which could have been closed for weeks were reopened again within one day.”

While most roads have been reopened, the Meiringspoort Pass remains closed until further notice.

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