Cape Town/Durban – In a feat of engineering and determination, Zimile Consulting Engineers has reopened the crucial N2 highway linking Durban and Cape Town, a full month ahead of schedule. The project, plagued by torrential rains and the collapse of a vital drainage culvert, was completed in just two months.
Amit Bhoora, Zimile’s Routine Road Maintenance Manager, lauded the team’s efforts. “This was a Herculean task. The conditions we faced were nothing short of catastrophic. The highway was essentially ripped apart by nature,” he said.
Mid-January’s deluge, described by Bhoora as “extraordinary”, caused a nearby dam to burst its banks, sweeping away a culvert and leaving the N2 in a perilous state. “The road was simply not safe for any traffic,” he added.
Zimile, contracted by SANRAL to manage the 246km stretch, faced a daunting challenge. “We were given a two-month target, which was already ambitious,” Bhoora explained. “But the team rose to the occasion, overcoming technical, environmental, and even political hurdles.”
The early reopening of the N2 is a significant victory for the region, boosting trade and tourism. It also serves as a testament to the resilience and expertise of Zimile Consulting Engineers.