MARKING a milestone moment for Kouga, the vital link between Aston Bay and Paradise Beach – the Seekoei Estuary Causeway – officially reopened in full on 14 October 2025, following a multi-million-rand upgrade.
After years of storm damage and months of determined effort, the long-awaited project has been successfully completed for the residents of Kouga, restoring a safe, reliable and resilient connection between the two coastal neighbourhoods.
Construction of the causeway commenced in late March 2025, with Kouga Local Municipality investing R9.3 million in the project. Of this amount, R7.5 million was funded through the Municipal Disaster Recovery Grant (MDRG), while R2.2 million was sourced from the municipality’s internal funds. The project aims to transform the previously vulnerable low-water bridge into a safer, more robust, and long-lasting crossing.
Rebuilding
Originally constructed in 1973 and last upgraded in 1994, the newly enhanced causeway now features a modern design with reinforced concrete pavement, larger culverts, and advanced erosion protection. These upgrades have greatly improved stormwater flow, strength, and durability – all achieved without altering the natural flood lines of the estuary.
“The reopening of the causeway marks the reconnection of a community,” said Kouga executive mayor, Hattingh Bornman. “For months, our residents have shown patience and resilience amid inconvenience and uncertainty. Today, we fulfil our commitment to restoring safe and reliable access – with infrastructure built to serve and endure for generations to come.”
Built for resilience
The reconstruction went far beyond routine repairs.
Under the consulting services of JG Afrika and the expertise of LRC Civils CC, the project included replacing the old asphalt surface with reinforced concrete, installing four new precast culvert sets to enhance water flow, and fortifying the structure against erosion and storm surges.
Additional safety features – including improved road markings, signage, and streetlights – were installed, while hydraulic upgrades reduced flooding risks and minimised the project’s impact on the sensitive estuarine ecosystem.
“Together, these measures have transformed the causeway into a stronger, more durable lifeline for residents, businesses, and visitors alike,” said Bornman.
Looking ahead
While the upgraded design significantly enhances durability, the causeway remains a low-water bridge due to infrastructure limitations in the surrounding area, meaning it may still be overtopped during extreme conditions. Raising the structure above the 1:100-year floodline – currently benchmarked at the Zon-en-Zee apartments – is not feasible under existing regulatory requirements.
Nevertheless, the causeway’s resilience has been substantially improved, ensuring that it will better withstand the natural forces that have tested it for decades.
“Today’s reopening is a celebration of perseverance – by our engineers, our teams, and our residents,” said Bornman. “The causeway has weathered many storms. Now, it stands ready to serve our community once again.”
A history of flooding
The causeway has endured more than half a century of wind, tide, and storms. Since its construction in 1973, the low-lying structure has faced repeated flooding and closures that cut off Paradise Beach from the rest of Jeffreys Bay.
In early 2013, following months of torrential rain and rising water in the estuary, the causeway suffered structural damage and had to be closed for almost three months while flood repairs were carried out. It reopened later that year, but the pattern of flooding would continue.
By August 2017, unusually high seas again submerged the crossing, leaving residents stranded and forcing the municipality to seek emergency approval to breach the estuary mouth. That authorisation came at the end of September 2017, after the causeway had spent weeks under water.
Six years later, in September 2023, the causeway was hit by another severe combination of equinox spring tides and gale-force winds, which tore at its structure and left visible cracks and erosion. In October 2023, the event was classified as a National Disaster in terms of Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 following the impact of severe weather in the Eastern Cape. The damage was so extensive that it became the catalyst for the reconstruction.
Even during the recent upgrade, nature continued to test the project’s resolve. On 22 September 2025, high winds and high spring tides flooded the construction site, delaying the final stages of work. But the recovery was swift – a single lane was reopened to traffic on 10 October 2025, and on,14 October, the fully reconstructed causeway was ready to welcome motorists again.
