The North West Department of Public Works and Roads has provided an update regarding the temporary closure of Road P53/1 between Pilanesberg International Airport and Mogwase following concerns raised by motorists, commuters, businesses, and affected communities.
The road was closed following the collapse of a culvert along the route, which posed serious safety risks to motorists. Since the closure, the Department has been conducting extensive technical investigations to assess the extent of the damage and determine the most suitable engineering solution to restore the road safely.
Investigations conducted by engineers revealed that the collapse was caused by ageing corrugated steel Armco culverts combined with water ingress into the layer works beneath the road surface.
The situation was further worsened by the out-of-season heavy rainfall in April and May 2026, which compromised the structural integrity of the culvert and the surrounding road embankment.
The Department wishes to clarify that while routine monitoring of road infrastructure is continuously undertaken, the full extent of the structural damage to the culvert was not immediately known before the collapse.
Following the assessments, engineers have recommended the construction of a load-bearing slab above the damaged culvert, together with the rebuilding of the affected layer works as a short-term emergency intervention. This solution is intended to ensure that traffic loading is no longer transferred directly onto the weakened culvert structure.
The Department further notes that a long-term intervention involving the replacement of the old corrugated steel culverts will still be required to ensure the long-term safety and sustainability of the road infrastructure.
The estimated cost of the short-term emergency repair work is approximately R11.9 million.
The Department has finalised processes relating to the appointment of the contractor and technical team responsible for the repairs.
The contractor is expected to be on site during the week of 1-5 June 2026, subject to the finalisation of environmental compliance processes and pending feedback from the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Programme (EMP) assessment reports.
The Department anticipates that the repairs will take approximately four to six weeks to complete.
Technical teams have been requested to expedite the work as far as practically possible. However, the Department cautions that should additional underlying damage be discovered during construction, the repair period may need to be extended.
The Department further wishes to emphasise that due to the high embankment surrounding the culvert area and the uncertainty regarding the full structural integrity of the affected culverts, it remains unsafe to reopen even a single lane to traffic at this stage.
MEC for Public Works and Roads in the province, Sempe Elizabeth Mokua, acknowledges the inconvenience caused by the closure of the road.
“We acknowledge the inconvenience caused by this structural damage particularly that it affects increased travelling distances, fuel costs, and delays experienced by road users who are now compelled to utilise alternative routes via the R556 and R510 roads. The Department understands the frustrations experienced and wishes to assure the public that the matter is being treated with urgency. As such, the Department together with the local municipality is assessing possible alternative bypass solutions to ease the burden on commuters,” expresses Mokua.
The Department continues to appeal to motorists and members of the public to comply with road closure notices and avoid attempting to illegally access the closed section of the road, as doing so may place lives at serious risk.
Learn to drive now.
K53 Learners Classroom Wolmaransstad.
Call/WhatsApp: 0723031918
Or visit: Rood Street nr 9 Wolmaransstad
Wolmaransstad Link proud partner of: K53 Learners Classroom Wolmaransstad
Updated: June 2026
#WolmaransstadLinkNews