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The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has met with the Dordrecht Business Fraternity in the Eastern Cape, to discuss the economic benefits and job opportunities availed by SANRAL’s upcoming special
maintenance project on the N6 national road to Dordrecht.

SANRAL convened the session as part of its ongoing stakeholder engagement endeavours, which seek to include
and consult those who are directly affected by the agency’s projects.

“At SANRAL we always ensure that we start with a social facilitation process on our projects. This means that we
first consult communities who are affected by our projects before we begin with construction. Working together
with the municipality, we do this to ensure that we get the community’s buy-in and make our targeted
stakeholders, like the business representatives we have at today’s session, understand what the project will
entail, as well as how they will benefit from it.” said Welekazi Ndika, SANRAL’s stakeholder coordinator for the
Southern Region Valued at R253 million, the project will start in November 2021 and is expected to be completed over 30 months.

SANRAL has allocated the first three months before construction begins to what is called the mobilisation period.
This is a period in which the appointed contractor on the project will interact with the community and set up
contract participation goals (CPGs), which is the minimum amount allocated to the development of small-,
medium- and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

“Guided by our transformation policy, at SANRAL we always ensure that there is transparency and equal
opportunities for local community members on our projects. We have also spelled this out in our D1000
Document. This is a document which guides the maximum participation of women, youth, people with disabilities
and military veterans, to mention but a few, on our projects,” said Thandile Makwabe, SANRAL’s transformation
officer for the Southern Region.

“The D1000 Document is also there to ensure that local SMMEs participate as suppliers on projects, such as
rendering security services on our project sites. All of this is done to ensure that local resources and local
community members benefit from SANRAL projects. We also ensure that the appointed main contractor on the
project will adhere to the CPGs that we have set for our projects. In the N6 to Dordrecht special maintenance
project, the CPG target we have stipulated is 30% and we have made it clear to the main contractor that this must
be achieved.”

Accordingly, the CPG on the N6 to Dordrecht project is R75.9 million, which is 30% of the total project value.
About 6% of the project has also been earmarked to create job opportunities for local community members.
About 200 job opportunities will be created for skilled and semi-skilled workers during the construction phase.
Skills development and other training endeavours will also be offered to those working on site.

Pretoria, 7 September 2021 – The employment contract of the Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) will come to an end on 30 November 2021.

The SANRAL Board of Directors will, in line with Section 19(2) of the SANRAL Act, No.7 of 1998, as amended, embark on a recruitment process to recommend a suitable candidate for appointment by the Minister of Transport, before 1 December 2021. Click here for the full post details.

For more information contact:

Ayanda Allie

pressoffice@nra.co.za

The South African National Roads Agency Limited SOC (SANRAL) has joined local and global organs of state in marking International Literacy Day.

SANRAL has contributed towards literacy as a human right and the foundation of learning, by broadening the offering and expanding the reach of its bursary and scholarship programme, in order to increase accessibility for learners in remote areas.

SANRAL recently took the programme into rural Phuthaditjhaba, making presentations to four schools in the community.

With strict adherence to COVID-19 health protocols, learners from Qwa Qwa Combined School, Letlotlo Primary, Kgola-Thuto Secondary and Mohaladitwe Secondary received valuable information, which will be relayed to their parents, for application purposes.

“Through these community engagement sessions, we are reaching audiences who have not previously applied to our programme because of the digital divide. We are already seeing a marked increase in the number of applications streaming in for financial aid,” said Monageng Mokgojwa, SANRAL’s Stakeholder Coordinator in the Eastern Region (KZN and Free State).
This week, SANRAL took the initiative to the West Coast with presentations to three schools in Moorreesburg: Ruststasie Primary, Laurie Hugo Primary and Dirkie Uys High.
“The bursary and scholarship outreach in this neighbourhood is to ensure SANRAL’s commitment to community development goes beyond roads,” explained Thembinkosi Mosobela, SANRAL’s Stakeholder Coordinator in the Western Region.
Initially, the scholarship programme was designed to give financial support to Grade 10 to Grade 12 learners who excelled in mathematics and science.

However, this year scholarships are available to all high school learners, i.e. from Grade 8 to Grade 12, irrespective of their subject choices.

Furthermore, where learners previously required a 70% overall aggregate to be eligible for consideration, they now require 60% with a view to improving their aggregate to 70%.

In addition, financial support through bursary allocations, which was previously exclusively for Civil Engineering, has now been made available for disciplines such as Public Relations, Auditing, Supply Chain Management, Law, Human Resources and Finance, which collectively support SANRAL’s corporate structure.

“Unemployment is a major challenge in this community, and as such, scores of parents are not able to fund their children’s education. We have some incredibly bright learners, and removing the financial obstacles will enable them to spread their wings and soar,” said Hester Arendse, a teacher at Laurie Hugo Primary School.

Applications for bursaries and scholarships are available on the SANRAL website and close on 30 September 2021.

Western Cape, 5 September 2021 – With an economic injection of R600m, the next phase of the N7 upgrade, from Rooidraai to Moorreesburg, holds major economic benefits for the Swartland.

“The scope of work entails widening the cross section of the N7 section 8 (for approximately 25km) and the construction of additional climbing lanes for improved road safety and ease of traffic flow,” said Petronella Theron, Project Manager for the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL).

SANRAL had recently awarded this contract to Martin & East, and the process of site mobilisation commences in September. During this time, the contractor will structure works packages that will be subcontracted to SMMEs.

“In line with SANRAL’s Transformation Policy and government’s Preferential Procurement Regulation, a minimum of 30% of the contract value of all projects is to be subcontracted to targeted enterprises, in a bid to prioritise economic development opportunities for black-owned entities. These include women-owned businesses, youth-owned businesses and persons with disabilities,” explained Morné Windvogel, SANRAL’s Transformation Officer in the Western Region.

Furthermore, in the interest of transparency and fair business practices, all SANRAL projects are guided by a 14-point plan that sets the tone for project liaison, sub-contracting and labour sourcing, as well as a commitment to its transformation policy. This plan also includes the appointment of a Project Liaison Committee (PLC) which has oversight over SANRAL projects – but does not influence who is awarded tenders or who get jobs on those projects.

“We are currently engaging with various stakeholders in the region, including business chambers and sector formations, local government and other civil society interest groups, in a bid to attract nominations for PLC members, so that we can ensure a well-constituted PLC that will represent the interests of all stakeholders,” said Thembinkosi Mosobela, SANRAL Stakeholder Coordinator in the Western Region.

This is an exciting project and comes at a time when the road construction industry is crying out for economic relief through infrastructure upgrades. “As part of SANRAL’s response to this call, and the development of the knowledge economy, training and development are prioritised on this project, to ensure that both the SMMEs and the local labour can benefit from new skills and knowledge that will empower them to tackle bigger projects down the line,” concluded Theron.

SANRAL initially started the upgrade of the N7 with the Melkbosstrand Interchange in 2012 and completed the Hopefield Interchange early 2020.

The following are some of key stats taken from the entire N7 upgrade to date.

40.5km	Length of dual-carriageway freeway constructed
69.2km	Access and other roads constructed
46	Major concrete structures built and upgraded
8	Interchanges constructed
173 400 tons	Asphalt surfacing
162 700m²	Bituminous seals
R333m	Spent on targeted labour
R529m	Spent on SMMEs

 

Machadodorp Interchange open
In line with our commitment to offer road users world-class road infrastructure, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) is delighted to announce that the Machadodorp Interchange is officially open!

This much-anticipated junction, which forms part of the major upgrade between Machado and Emakhazeni, was officially opened today by the Honourable MEC of Public Works, Roads and Transport Mohita Latchminarain, the Honourable Executive Mayor of Emakhazeni, Xolani Sydney Ngwenya and TRAC CEO Alex van Niekerk.. This significant road construction project between the two Mpumalanga towns, undertaken by Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon and Motheo Construction Joint Venture (WBHO/Motheo), kicked off in 2019. The project comprises the rehabilitation and construction of an additional lane per direction to convert this 30 km section of the N4 in a four-lane undivided road.

According to Mr Van Niekerk the R400-million upgrade was done to accommodate the traffic growth experienced over the years between Emakhazeni and the Montrose Intersection near Mbombela. Furthermore, the increase in traffic volumes stimulated the need to construct the interchange that offers a safer entry/exit point to and from Machadodorp and the R36.

“The official opening of this infrastructure marks a milestone for the Belfast-Machado upgrade project as well as for the Maputo Corridor and TRAC as a whole,” explained Mr Van Niekerk, “The at-grade intersection will now be permanently closed, and road users can only enter and exit the town of Machadodorp via the safer on and off ramps that form part of the interchange.”

Mr Van Niekerk reminded road users that although the interchange is fully functional, the roadworks between Emakhazeni and Machadodorp are not concluded and will continue for several months. “We are continuing with the other elements of the upgrade and rehabilitation with the entire project expected to be completed early next year.”

“We want to thank the public for their cooperation during this road construction project and thank them for their patience and understanding. This upgrade, including this magnificent structure that we opened today, is evidence that TRAC is committed to keeping the Maputo Corridor in pristine condition and on par with world standards,” concluded Mr Van Niekerk.

Enquiries

Solange Soares

Communications Manager

Tel: +2713 755 3316 (switchboard)

Mobile: +2776 021 2524 (cell)

E-mail: ssoares@tracn4.co.za

Phase 2 of the R75 from Wolvefontein to Jansenville has been completed

Eastern Cape, 31 August 2021: The R93 million special maintenance project on the R75 from Wolwefontein to Jansenville Phase 2 in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality has been completed, according to the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL).

Route R75 is one of the major National Roads within the Eastern Cape that links the coastline with its hinterland.
Twenty-two sub-contractors were engaged, and 300 local labourers worked on the project. The project was completed on 16 August 2021.

“SANRAL is committed to developing small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) on road construction projects,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region Regional Manager.
The scope of work included gravel shoulder construction, in situ recycling sections with emulsion treated base and 10mm Cape Seal to protect the recycled base.

The pre-treatment included rejuvenator fog spray, 50/70 continuously graded base patches with BTB, 50/70 continuously medium graded surface patches, ETB edge break repairs and texture slurry.

Additional work on the project included the new concrete edge beams, subsoil drain cleaning and replacement, building new gabions, erecting new guardrails and fencing, 14mm and 7mm double seal, and retroreflective road marking.

“The upgraded road will reduce commuting time between destinations and there will be road safety improvement for motorists and pedestrians,” said Peterson.

In addition to the special maintenance work on the road, SANRAL implemented some community development projects. The work also included the repair and reseal of the road leading to the Jansenville hospital, the rehabilitation of a landfill site and the erection of a fence and signage to the dumpsite.

Western Cape, 27 August 2021 – Huguenot Tunnel upgrades are well underway, with no major spike in traffic volumes in the Du Toits Kloof Pass during the night-time closures, i.e. Monday to Thursday 10pm to 6am.

The potential increase of heavy vehicles going over the pass at night has always been a concern, particularly as incident response in the narrow pass posed multiple challenges and would cause significant delays and congestion, which has a direct impact on the economy.

“Traffic monitoring reports however show a slight decrease in the amount of traffic (both heavy and light motor vehicles) going over the pass during the night-time closures, when compared to the period prior to the commencement of the tunnel closures. This could either indicate that road users have adjusted their travel time or taken an alternative route. Either way, it means our proactive communications are reaching the targeted audiences,” said Mike Vinello-Lippert, SANRAL Project Manager.

With regard to the current maintenance operations, the asphalt overlay of the Eastern Approach road is 85% complete and all indications are that the construction works will be completed on schedule, by 30 September.

The replacement of continuous strip lights, adaptation luminaires at the portals and the lighting control system is also making steady progress. Old fluorescent and high- pressure sodium luminaires are being replaced with new more energy efficient LED fittings while additional adaptation luminaires are installed at both portals to ensure compliance with international best practice for the entrance zone lighting.

With the night-time closures, SANRAL has taken the opportunity to replace the outdated existing fire detection systems in the Huguenot Tunnel with modern systems which comply with local and international standards and best practice. The works include the detail design, manufacture, supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of the tunnel fire detection systems.

“We are incredibly pleased with the progress made, and even more grateful to our road users for their continued cooperation and patience during this project. We look forward to completing these upgrade works and providing a much-improved road user experience. We believe that the safety improvements will go a long way to meeting world-class standards,” said Randall Cable, SANRAL Western Region Manager.

Road users are reminded of the variety of alternative routes which include Paarl – DuToit’s Kloof Pass – Worcester (±62 km), Paarl – Gouda – Tulbagh – Worcester (±121 km) or Wellington – Tulbagh – Ceres (± 74 km.) Depending on origin and destination, the N2 Grabouw to Villiersdorp (41 km) is also an option should they need to travel on a Monday to Thursday between 10pm and 6am.

Pretoria, 20 August 2021 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has welcomed the extension of the term of its current Board of Directors.

The Minister of Transport Mr Fikile Mbalula has extended the Board’s term beyond 31 August 2021, until a date when a new Board will be appointed. The Department is in the process to recruit a new Board and this process will be concluded soon.

The current Board Members: Mr Themba Barrange Mhambi (Chairperson), Alderman Robert Haswell, Ms Nkareng Mpobane, Mr Thamsanqa Piet Matosa, Ms Lungile Madladla and Mr Skhumbuzo Macozoma (Chief Executive Officer), were appointed following a Cabinet meeting held on 22 August 2018.

SANRAL’s General Manager Communications, Vusi Mona says the Board will continue to serve with distinction: “We welcome the extension of the term of the current Board. The Board Members have maintained good corporate governance at SANRAL and we have no doubt that they will continue to lead with excellence until the conclusion of their term”.

Pretoria, 7 September 2021 – The employment contract of the Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) will come to an end on 30 November 2021.

The SANRAL Board of Directors will, in line with Section 19(2) of the SANRAL Act, No.7 of 1998, as amended, embark on a recruitment process to recommend a suitable candidate for appointment by the Minister of Transport, before 1 December 2021.