SANRAL’s Transformation Policy is geared towards ensuring that the playing fields are levelled in the construction industry and a meaningful impact is made in all communities where SANRAL projects take place.
SANRAL actively implements transformation through its practical support of SMMEs and the involvement of local labour in all projects. A minimum of 30% of contract value is allocated for the use of SMMEs and/or local companies. In this way many smaller companies have grown and eventually could tender for bigger projects on their own, contributing to the development of major black businesses and black industrialists.
The use of local labour means that valuable rands circulate in poor rural communities affected by SANRAL projects. Community development programmes are included on many of the projects, ensuring that elements remain behind long after SANRAL and the major contractors have left. This could be in the form of a local road or bridge, pedestrian walkways, school, community hall or a sports field, all aimed at raising the standard of living.
SANRAL’s preferential procurement policy, which came under attack by some big construction companies, is an important instrument for the success of transformation. It is hoped that soon a sustainable and acceptable final policy will be in place that will help especially those who were previously marginalised to grow and be part of this important transformation journey for the entire construction industry.
Central to SANRAL’s mission is the imperative to reduce the dominance of large contractors, which has historically posed a significant barrier to smaller and emerging contractors and consultants seeking opportunities within SANRAL’s projects. By fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment, SANRAL aims to not only accelerate the pace of transformation but also create new pathways for growth and empowerment within the transportation sector.
From livelihoods uplifted to skills gained, the true measure of SANRAL’s impact lies in the words and stories of those whose lives have been positively transformed.
Simphiwe Mhlongo
Subcontractor
By making a bold career change, Simphiwe Mhlongo has been able to improve her own life and provide opportunities for 11 employees.
Formerly an events coordinator struggling to make ends meet, she ventured into construction with the assistance of the South African Women in Construction initiative, establishing Sister’s Brain Construction. Now a subcontractor for two major firms, she’s been able to procure work on the N3 Ashburton Interchange and the associated R103 Pope Ellis Drive upgrades.
Based in Lynnfield Park, near Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, she deeply appreciates SANRAL’s local impact, saying “The best part is that the workers are from the area. This means that locals are getting a chance to uplift themselves. It’s a real blessing to them, as well as to me.”
Mduduzi Jijana
Company owner
Mduduzi Jijana, owner of the Disability Empowerment Movement, who lives with a disability, is among the many beneficiaries of SANRAL’s N3 highway upgrade. His company employs 13 people and has been installing road signs between Hilton and Pietermaritzburg.
The project has been life-changing. “As people living with a disability, we have shown that we are capable. We no longer rely on grants. We do the actual work,” he says.