Mossel Bay Municipality
Roads, Transport & Stormwater

Purpose

To manage the positioning of roads, stormwater, public transport and traffic engineering services to enhance road safety and accessibility in favour of the community and other road users.

Functions

(a) Plan, monitor and control the design and construction of roads and stormwater infrastructure.
(b) Coordinate and perform roads and stormwater maintenance services.
(c) Approve, maintain and perform road marking and signage services for all municipal streets.

Streets

The Mossel Bay Municipality is responsible for all public residential streets that are not privately owned and fall within the WC043 demarcation area. A street is deemed legal as per the Surveyor General Diagram layout records. Otherwise it is classified as informal and not a municipal street. The street however includes the entire road reserve width, consisting of the ride surface and the sidewalk up to erf boundary on either side. Mossel Bay Municipality currently holds 450km of total network, of which 400km is asphalt/tarred, 34km paved, 3km concrete, 9km gravel and 4km earth.

Please note that the entire road reserve is the legal property of the Municipality and no building activity or obstruction is permitted whatsoever without prior written approval. Connecting our various residential suburbs are other main roads, such as the N2 national road (SANRAL) or Provincial Roads (such as Louis Fourie Road, R102, R328, Morrison Road). These main roads are not Municipal roads and we are not the road authority or owner.

Please note that the entire road reserve is the legal property of the Municipality and no building activity or obstruction is permitted whatsoever without prior written approval. Connecting our various residential suburbs are other main roads, such as the N2 national road (SANRAL) or Provincial Roads (such as Louis Fourie Road, R102, R328, Morrison Road). These main roads are not Municipal roads and we are not the road authority or owner.

The following can be contacted:

(i) National roads:SANRAL on 021 957 4600, or website www.nra.co.za
(ii) Provincial roads: Eden District Municipality on 044 803 1300, or website www.edendm.co.za, alternatively Western Cape Government (WCG) on 079 769 1207 or website www.westerncape.gov.za
(iii) Municipal streets: Roads, Transport & Stormwater Head of Department on 044 606 5000 or email a complaint directly to admin@mosselbay.gov.za.

Stormwater

The Mossel Bay Stormwater Management Plan is based on the following key objectives.

• To protect all life and property from damage by stormwater and floods.
• To prevent erosion of soil by wind and water.
• To improve the quality of life of the communities.
• To protect and enhance water resources from pollution and siltation
• To protect and enhance the natural watercourses and the eco-systems.

Our operational key performance areas: stormwater pipes, stormwater inlets, stormwater manholes, outlet structures on beaches, stormwater pump stations. This service relates to stormwater blockages, cleaning of stormwater pipes, channels and manholes.

General recommendations for rainfall management on private property

The Municipality often receive complaints pertaining to localised (on-site) storm water control with properties suddenly being flooded whilst it was not a problem in the past. The main cause of the increase in run-off water is due to excess hardening of property (paving etc.) with little to no permeability. Also, changes in local weather patterns coupled with global climate change and reoccurring droughts is a reality we all face today. This often lead to an increase in rainfall intensity, spread over a shorter period, leading to increase occurrence of flash floods. Water is a scarce resource and it remains the responsibility of each resident to better utilize and manage rainfall on their property for personal use. The following are suggestions and recommendations for property owners to better manage surface run-off and/or harvesting rainwater for private use:

• Reduce surface hardening by reverting to free draining (permeable) surfaces. Remove paving and plant grass, or alternatively install grass-block paving.
• Consider a rock garden with sand foundation that can absorb a degree of rainfall. Construct a garden, herb or vegetable patch. Consider planting various trees and shrubs. Use landscaping techniques to divert rainwater.
• Build a retention pond that will retain a degree of run-off. Construct a fish/Khoi pond to catch a degree of rainfall.
• Construct earth berms to hold back storm water (e.g. from house foundations).Build a swimming pool and divert roof gutters towards pool. Install driveway grid inlets to catch and manage run-off.
• Roof gutter rainwater harvesting by means of Plastic Tanks (e.g. JoJo Tanks). Install sand trap cut-off channel to absorb surface run-off. Install an underground water tank and pump (conservancy tank).
• Replace clayey topsoil with sand or compost mixture to absorb and retain rainwater.

Combinations of above should reduce surface run-off on property and to lower lying neighbouring properties. Please note it remains the responsibility of the property owner to manage the rainwater on his property and implement measures in accordance to Council By-Laws and Building Control regulation. For further queries please contract Building Control at 044 606 5000.