Local News
N3 bypass plans in Harrismith on hold─── 12:23 Wed, 19 Oct 2016
Harrismith - Plans to reroute the N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban across the De Beer’s Pass, which would shave off about 14km of the existing route that passes through Harrismith in the Free State, have been put on hold.
The community of Harrismith has been against the building of this route, which would’ve cost nearly R10 billion, as it would mean job losses for them.
An economic impact assessment report by Mike Schussler of Economists.co.za, revealed that Harrismith stands to lose annual business worth R890 million and more than 1,600 jobs if the De Beer’s Pass project goes ahead.
During a community imbizo, held in Harrismith, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters assured the people and businesses in Harrismith that the department took their contributions into consideration while conducting an environmental impact assessment report.
"The environmental impact assessment has actually reversed the process and sent us back to the drawing board where we can look at an engineering solution for the challenges of the freeway, without creating a bypass which will kill the town of Harrismith and the existing jobs," she added.
Seithati Semenokane/OFM News
