Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association – September 2026
For several years, the Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association has repeatedly written to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, including the Sarah Baartman District Roads Engineer, requesting urgent intervention on the R330 between Humansdorp and Cape St Francis.
The condition of this vital road has continued to deteriorate, with sections crumbling and increasingly dangerous potholes developing along the route. The R330 is particularly important to the Greater St Francis community as it is effectively our sole road link to Humansdorp and the outside world.
Despite numerous attempts by the Civics to engage with the relevant provincial authorities over the years, to date we have unfortunately not received so much as an acknowledgement or response to our correspondence from the Eastern Cape Department of Transport. This is extremely disappointing given the importance of the road and the increasingly dangerous conditions experienced by motorists who use it every day.
Community-funded pothole repairs
Faced with the continued deterioration of the road, the Cape St Francis Civics, together with concerned individuals from the greater St Francis community, have at various stages taken matters into their own hands by employing contractors to undertake emergency pothole repairs.
Considerable community funds have already been spent on these interventions.
The Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association alone has committed approximately R100,000 towards pothole repairs from the entrance to Cape St Francis and along St Francis Way.
31 August 2026 marked the start of the Civics’ second major intervention along St Francis Way.
Cape St Francis Community
Following the severe weather and flooding experienced in May 2026, sections of St Francis Way deteriorated significantly, with the condition of the road becoming increasingly difficult and potentially dangerous for motorists.
With no immediate provincial intervention forthcoming, the Civics felt that the community could no longer simply wait while the road continued to deteriorate and therefore once again appointed a contractor to undertake emergency repairs.
It is important to emphasise that St Francis Way forms part of the R330 provincial road and is therefore an asset and responsibility of the Eastern Cape Department of Transport rather than Kouga Local Municipality.
What is happening with the R330 rehabilitation tender?
There is, however, some hope on the horizon.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport advertised a substantial tender for the rehabilitation of the R330 between Humansdorp and Cape St Francis, including St Francis Way. The tender closed on 28 April 2026.
The project is substantial, with bids reportedly exceeding R200 million and an anticipated construction period of approximately 26 months, reflecting both the scale of rehabilitation required and the importance and high traffic volumes of this route.
Unfortunately, more than four months after the tender closed, the Civics has still received no official update from the Eastern Cape Department of Transport regarding its adjudication or the anticipated appointment of a contractor.
There have been indications that the adjudication process may have been delayed, although the Civics has received no formal confirmation from the Department as to the reasons for any delay.
The appointment of the contractor is particularly important because the successful contractor will ultimately become responsible for the rehabilitation as well as ongoing maintenance and pothole repairs along the relevant section of the R330, including St Francis Way, for the duration of the contract.
Every further delay therefore leaves the community facing the difficult question of how long it can continue funding emergency repairs to a provincial road from its own limited resources.
Appreciation for local assistance
The Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association would also like to acknowledge and thank Kouga Local Municipality and our Ward Councillor for their willingness to assist with emergency repairs when approached and where circumstances have allowed.
We recognise that municipal budgets and resources are limited and, importantly, that the R330 and St Francis Way are not municipal assets. Responsibility ultimately rests with the Eastern Cape Department of Transport.
The community’s interventions should therefore not be seen as a long-term solution. They are emergency measures aimed at keeping an essential road reasonably safe and accessible while we wait for the responsible provincial authority to act.
The Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association sincerely hopes that the R330 rehabilitation tender will be adjudicated as a matter of urgency and that a contractor can be appointed and established on site as soon as possible.
Until then, we will continue engaging with the relevant authorities, monitoring the condition of St Francis Way and doing what we reasonably can, within our limited community resources, to protect this vital lifeline for Cape St Francis and the Greater St Francis community.
Cape St Francis Civics & Ratepayers Association HERE
Read more here: Kouga Local Municipality Events Calendar 2026/2027 – Looking Quite Exciting
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