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Piekenierskloof Pass
Citrusdal district, Western Cape
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Click to view map Coordinates: | This pass launched the career of Thomas Bain as road-builder and successor to his father, Andrew Geddes BAIN. It is a crossing of the barrier formed by the Olifants River mountain chain. Construction was done by a team of 220 convicts. Bain, as resident engineer, located himself and his wife in a cottage at the base of the pass while the works were in progress. In 1939 it was decided to rebuild the pass for a newly aligned national road. While the original route ran on the east bank of the Olifants River through Clanwilliam and Citrusdal, the new route was located to the west bank, hence circumventing these towns. However WW2 was declared at the same time and so the unit established for its design and construction was disbanded. Work only recommenced in the 1950s, with completion in 1958. There has subsequently been rebuilds along this route. References:
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