MEDIA STATEMENT

SANRAL and SMMEs in Matjhabeng discuss R450 million of contractor opportunities

Bloemfontein 18 November 2021 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) hosted small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality to discuss upcoming routine road maintenance (RRM) projects in the area on Tuesday, 16 November 2021. The nine RRM projects are worth approximately R450 million.

The event aimed to engage stakeholders on the Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s role in the economic recovery of the Free State Province. The event sought to empower emerging local SMMEs with knowledge regarding current and upcoming SANRAL projects within Matjhabeng Local Municipality and the roads agency’s transformation policy.

“The information session is used to highlight SANRAL projects that will boost the economy of the province as well as the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. We are also here to strengthen our relationships with the targeted stakeholders to ensure support for SANRAL’s projects and their successful execution within the area,” said SANRAL Eastern Region Transformation Officer, Mr James Takalo. SANRAL will continue to drive its transformation agenda for local SMMEs and community members that live alongside its national roads to ensure that all key and affected stakeholders will benefit. Local SMMEs are entitled to a minimum of 30% of subcontracting in open tender in line with the legal requirements of the country.

“There will be other project-based engagements to be hosted soon where SANRAL will provide project updates and inform stakeholders of the documents needed for sub-contracting. Currently, there are nine RRM projects worth approximately R450 million which are in different stages of award in the area,” Takalo said.

SANRAL’s 14 Point Plan was discussed which talks to the principles of and formation of Project Liaison Committees (PLCs), appointment of Project Liaison Officers (PLOs), subcontracting and labour sourcing on all SANRAL projects. These principles are applied to facilitate better project level liaison with local communities and structures.

“SANRAL will continuously liaise with the appointed PLC to follow the process in the hiring of local labourers for the duration of the projects. Continuous project information sessions and introductions of contract teams to the stakeholders and affected municipalities is crucial throughout the project life cycle to foster conducive relations with targeted stakeholders,” Takalo said.

Aubrey Tshalata, President of the National African Federation for the Building Industry (NAFBI), said he was excited about the pioneering work that SANRAL was doing. “SANRAL is breaking down the monopolies in the construction industry through their transformation policy. We have worked with other state-owned enterprises, but they never did what SANRAL is doing in empowering people to be able to get contracts for work done at the roads agency. It is similar to what we are doing as NAFBI in helping contractors succeed in their businesses,” he said.

Other partners – in mining, finance and training – also attended the event to help the SMMEs succeed in their different programmes.