Significant upgrades are under way just outside Kimberley.
SANRAL is committed to creating engineering solutions for safer roads. However, the buy-in of all road users, including pedestrians, is needed, so that road safety can become a way of life, and not just be a reaction to awareness campaigns in the aftermath of a tragedy.
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has recently started construction on the upgrading of the three major intersections on the R31 Main Road, between Barkly West and Landbou Road.
The intersections will be turned into traffic circles. The upgrade will also include a new access road, midway between the R31/R357 and N8/R31intersections. The objective is to improve not just the smoothness of the trip, but also road safety.
In their current form the intersections experience regular traffic incidents caused by speeding vehicles. This has resulted in many serious injuries for drivers and passengers and, in some instances, deaths.
Traffic circles safer
An intersection has 24 pedestrian and 32 vehicle conflict points, where the paths of turning vehicles diverge, merge or cross each other.
A traffic circle has only eight and, thus, clearly makes them a safer alternative.
SANRAL’s Western Region Manager, Kobus van der Walt, said the upgrades will increase safety for pedestrians and night drivers.
“This contract makes provision for surfaced sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, along with kerbed, surfaced median islands, within each roundabout approach. The installation of street lighting at each of the three roundabouts and their approaching roads has a significant safety benefit for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists during night-time conditions, as accidents frequently happen early in the morning or late at night, when visibility is compromised,” he said.
Just short of R90-million has been earmarked for this project.
SANRAL is committed to creating engineering solutions for safer roads. However, the buy-in of all road users, including pedestrians, is needed, so that road safety can become a way of life, and not just be a reaction to awareness campaigns in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Last year, media reports indicated that the Northern Cape had the highest spike in road deaths over the Easter period – 175%.
This is alarming. The conscious commitment of every road user is needed to put an end to the carnage.
Though SANRAL is being proactive about saving Northern Cape road users’ time, trouble and injury with this project, it is aware that road works can cause disruptions.
“Road works inevitably give rise to traffic delays, particularly in the absence of alternative routes,” said van der Walt. “The patience and cooperation of residents is deeply appreciated, and we cannot stress enough the importance of extra vigilance and awareness when travelling through the construction areas.”
Public hearings show support for SANRAL’s proposed N3 capacity improvements between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
The hearings at Cato Ridge, Camperdown and Pietermaritzburg afforded the public the opportunity to learn about SANRAL’s proposals, to view graphic representations of what is proposed, to obtain further information and to engage directly with officials from SANRAL, as well as the design engineers and the environmental assessment practitioner.
There has generally been positive response to the proposed N3 capacity improvements between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, following three days of public hearings.
The widening – and realignment in sections – of the 84km N3 Corridor between EB Cloete Interchange in Durban and Twickenham Road in Pietermaritzburg is being undertaken by the South African National Roads Agency SOC limited (SANRAL) because the N3 is presently operating near full capacity.
Ravi Ronny, SANRAL Eastern Region design and construction manager, said the road improvements are subject to the provisions of the National Environmental Management Act and require environmental authorisation from the National Department of Environmental Affairs.
Public participation integral
Ronny said an integral component of environmental assessment is public participation where interested and affected parties are encouraged to participate actively in proposed developments in which they have an interest, or which may affect them.
The hearings at Cato Ridge, Camperdown and Pietermaritzburg afforded the public the opportunity to learn about SANRAL’s proposals, to view graphic representations of what is proposed, to obtain further information and to engage directly with officials from SANRAL, as well as the design engineers and the environmental assessment practitioner.
Ronny said that according to information gathered by environmental consultants Acer (Africa), an estimated 150 interested and affected parties attended the information-sharing sessions over three days.
“In general, the members of the public who attended are positive about the proposed improvements. Where people are directly affected in terms of their properties, they are obviously concerned.
“There are some properties that are seriously affected by the land acquisition that will be required and these will need to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by SANRAL’s property division,” said Ronny.
Other common complaints/concerns/objections related to noise during construction and from the increased traffic after improvements and construction disruptions.
How the upgrades will improve the N3
The N3 Durban-Pietermaritzburg upgrade over the next six to eight years will provide for an additional two to three lanes per direction and substantial interchange reconfigurations to accommodate future traffic growth and improve safety.
Widening will be accommodated as far as possible within the existing median and road reserve, but additional land will need to be acquired in some areas.
The project will involve modification of existing bridges, crossroads and drainage, construction of some new infrastructure and demolition of redundant structures.
Realignment/relocation of services in the existing road reserve will also be undertaken.
Ronny said the N3 Corridor is essential if one of government’s strategic integrated projects linking the Port of Durban with Gauteng, South Africa’s economic heartland, is to succeed.
Why upgrades are needed
If the upgrades do not go ahead, it is estimated that users of the N3 will continue to suffer losses of nearly R800-million per annum due to accidents and time delays. R775 million can be attributed to time delays and between R250 000 and R295 000 per hour to accidents and road closures due to accidents. These estimates are already five years old.
Ronny said the N3 carries more than 40 000 vehicles per day around Pietermaritzburg and consists of a mix of urban commuter traffic, long-distance traffic and substantial number heavy vehicles, with some sections experiencing more than 25% of heavy vehicles.
“Over 75-million tons of freight per annum is carried on the N3 corridor, with approximately 9 000 heavy vehicles using the national road per day.
“Durban is by far South Africa’s busiest port with over 80% of goods moving along this corridor by road.
“Therefore, the need to consider the best economic solutions to ensure the seamless flow of freight is very important,” said Ronny, adding any blockage on the N3 that would cause its closure was tantamount to a national crisis
SANRAL hasplayed an integral part in the contribution to palaeontological knowledge and the preservation of natural heritage.
Dr Robert Gess of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown, who is supported by the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences based at the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Millennium Trust, teamed up with Professor Per Ahlberg of Uppsala University in Sweden to describe the finds.
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) continues to contribute to the body of palaeontological knowledge through their support of the discovery and preservation of the fossilised remains of life from a 360-million-year-old Eastern Cape marine ecosystem.
SANRAL’s involvement with Late Devonian research goes back to 1999 when they assisted Dr Robert Gess to rescue 30 tons of fossiliferous shale ahead of roadworks at Waterloo Farm, 2km south of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.
New fossil findings from gradual excavation of these 360-million-year-old shales belonging to the Waterloo Farm estuarine lagerstätte (exceptional fossil site) were published in Science.
Lead author, Dr Robert Gess of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown, who is supported by the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences based at the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Millennium Trust, teamed up with Professor Per Ahlberg of Uppsala University in Sweden to describe the finds.
Highlighting Devonian Research
Their research paper entitled, Tetrapods from the Devonian Antarctic Circle, helps to highlight the global significance of late Devonian research in the Eastern Cape.
Gess explained: “Whereas all previously found Devonian tetrapods have come from localities that were in tropical regions during the Devonian Period, the Grahamstown specimens represent species that lived in the Antarctic Circle and thus force a major reassessment of the origin of four-legged vertebrates.”
He added: “During the Devonian Period (360 to 420 million years ago) the ancestors of all land-living vertebrates evolved from lobe-finned fish. These creatures had traded their fins for four stubby legs but retained a tadpole like tail. About a metre long, they looked superficially like a cross between fish and alligators and lived in pools, lakes and lagoons where they probably inhabited the shallows. Shortly after the End Devonian Mass Extinction Event their descendants moved onto land and gave rise to land vertebrates – amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including ourselves.”
Thousands of unique fossils
Rob Damhuis, geotechnologist and project manager at SANRAL Southern Region, said: “At SANRAL’s inception in 1998 it became a priority to make the N2 road between Grahamstown and the Fish River safe. Whilst surveying the geology through which the Waterloo Farm road cutting went, we were made aware that the area held elements of great importance to South Africa’s history.
“Construction of the repairs was immediately halted and SANRAL brought in Dr Gess and his team to mine out 30 cubic metres of shale by hand. SANRAL then transported the shale to Bathurst where Dr Gess began to steadily work through it in search of fossils.
“The results of the excavations were incredible, uncovering thousands of unique fossils which are of great international importance today. So far, the remains of an entire coastal estuarine ecosystem from 360 million years ago has been discovered.”
A further 70 tons of shale was similarly rescued in 2008 and to further assist with the fossil finds and help to preserve the shale, SANRAL built a shed next to Dr Gess’s existing shed to store the shale blocks and protect the fossils from weather damage.
A findhe had always hoped for
Dr Gess said he had always hoped to find remains of Devonian tetrapods at Waterloo Farm, even though the text books suggested it wasn’t at all likely.
He said: “I read Dr Jenny Clack’s book Gaining Ground and familiarised myself with the skeletal transformations involved in the fish to tetrapod transition. I was splitting shale with my student, Chris Harris, when I found the cleithrum of Tutusius. I just knew that this was what I’d spent years looking for. I went all quiet and then abandoned what I was doing and went to fetch the literature just to double check. I’ll never forget that afternoon.
“In South Africa we have a good evolutionary history preserved in the rocks, which now adds the emergence of animals with legs from fish, to a well-studied record of the evolution of mammals from reptile-like ancestors and development of the earliest humans. Our fossil heritage is world renowned.
“The fact that the tetrapods were found at the Waterloo Farm site gives us a really good picture of the environmental setting in which they lived. Of all sites in the world that have tetrapod remains, Waterloo Farm has the best record of what plants and animals were around the ecosystem that the tetrapods were living in.
“This is the only site in the world that has tetrapod remains but also has soft tissue preservation. The rock shed that SANRAL donated has almost certainly preserved more remains of the bony parts of the Devonian tetrapods, but it is possible that further excavations might also reveal evidence of the non-bony parts – which are yet unknown from anywhere.”
A continuing relationship
SANRAL has continued to be interested in Dr Gess’s Devonian research project and recently facilitated the discovery of further fossil sites.
While monitoring controlled rock cutting explosions by SANRAL along the N2 between Grahamstown and the Fish River in 2016, Dr Gess and Harris discovered new Devonian river mouth sites 20 km east of Waterloo Farm.
These sites help to fill out the picture of environments along the ancient high-latitude shoreline of Gondwana.
“It is important that the public is aware of this collaboration and is aware of the agency’s support to preserve our natural heritage,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region Manager.
SANRAL’s standard management plans contain guidelines for project managers who may encounter similar cases of palaeontological heritage, especially in areas where experts believe the potential for finds is high.
“In 2016, as part of a conservation plan for the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR), we initiated our environmental management programme, which is aimed at protecting the biological diversity and natural heritage of the Eastern Cape. As part of this programme we have already conducted palaeontological training for environmental and other personnel, to sensitise them to the potential for and tell-tale signs of palaeontological finds as well as to iterate what to do if such findings should occur,” Peterson added.
Calibre of applicants for scholarship and bursaries programme is exciting for ‘future of South Africa’.
SANRAL’s scholarship and bursary recipients outside the Central Operations Centre in Pretoria.
In a boost to engineering in South Africa, SANRAL’s Northern Region welcomed 23 deserving students from Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West into their scholarship and bursaries programme.
The scholarship programme, which covers school fees, textbooks and uniforms, is open to high school learners who display exceptional academic ability in mathematics, physical science and English, with preference given to those in rural schools.
SANRAL encourages young people who would like to build a career in civil engineering to apply for its scholarships and bursaries. The current round of applications for bursaries opened on 1 June 2018, while scholarship applications will open on 1 July 2018. All applications must be submitted by 30 September 2018.
Bursaries are awarded to students who have successfully registered for their undergraduate or postgraduate studies in engineering related to construction, the built environment and road management studies.
To ensure recipients get the best out of the programme, SANRAL has developed a buddy system where the students are able to build relationships with one other to share any information required for academic projects and assignments.
Bursaries give a sense of dignity and pride
At the induction event, held at SANRAL’s Central Operations Centre in Pretoria, Educational Programmes Coordinator, Gcina Sentletse, expressed the agency’s excitement about being able to invest in each candidate’s future: “We had to choose the very best from the many applications we received. Looking at the calibre of our recipients, we are excited for the future of South Africa.”
Malesiba Mabe, a previous bursary recipient and now project manager at SANRAL, said: “The SANRAL bursary covers a lot. It isn’t just about the money. It has given me a sense of dignity and pride. When I and other recipients struggled with a particular module, the bursary administrators at the time stepped in and ensured that we passed with distinctions.”
Grade 12 scholar, Khanyisile Makhoba, said her scholarship has been a blessing: “I’m very grateful to SANRAL for affording me a good quality education. Thanks to this scholarship, I don’t need to worry about anything other than my big dreams.”
Japhta Mamanyane is a young Master’s student in civil engineering, specialising in hydraulic structures at the University of Johannesburg.
“SANRAL’s bursary administrator motivated me to continue my studies. It was exciting for me to be the first black male student at the age of 22 to do my Master’s under SANRAL. I come from a family where no one was educated at all and the school I went to only had two blocks. I told myself that education would enable me to progress in life and I have continued with that motivation.”
Weigh-in-motion system will enable authorities to effectively monitor heavy vehicles and improve productivity.
The Weigh-in-motion system will revolutionise the way in which overloaded trucks are detected.
Technology being introduced by the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) will revolutionise the way in which overloaded trucks are detected and result in more effective action taken against serial offenders.
Michelle van der Walt, Project Manager: Traffic Monitoring at SANRAL, said: “Overloaded vehicles are one of the contributing factors to road damage. This has an impact on the safety of road users and on SANRAL’s maintenance budgets.”
Overloaded trucks are also more likely to break down, resulting in traffic jams, delays and frustration for motorists.
Data collected while vehicle is in motion
The weigh-in-motion enforcement (WIM-E) technology enables road authorities to obtain accurate data on the weight of vehicles while they are travelling at normal speeds on the SANRAL network.
It will no longer be necessary for trucks to stop at traffic control centres or weigh bridges next to the road.
Some of the components of the WIM-E technology are already embedded in the freeway surfaces in the form of inductive loops with electronic equipment on the side.
Sensors accurately measure the weight of the vehicle and send the data through fibre networks or satellite technology to SANRAL’s headquarters in Pretoria or provincial control centres.
Integrating technologies
In future the WIM-E technology will be integrated with SANRAL’s average-speed-over-distance system, which consists of cameras placed at strategic locations throughout the network that are equipped with number plate recognition technology.
The system will be able to track the movement of overloaded vehicles during their entire journeys – including those vehicles that enter the country from neighbouring states.
Van der Walt said the system will also bring major benefits to provincial and local traffic authorities.
Dangerously overloaded trucks will no longer be able to evade physical weigh stations by diverting onto secondary roads, causing serious damage to roads that are not designed to sustain such loads.
Moreover, the WIM-E process will improve the productivity of law enforcement officials and cut down on risk of corruption that could occur at weighbridges.
One of the key issues currently being resolved is to ensure the WIM-E data generated will be sufficient to prosecute offenders.
This will require several changes to existing legislation – including the SANRAL Act – and regulations to bring them in line with the development in technology.
The WIM-E equipment will comply with the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act and be monitored by the National Regulator of Compulsory Specifications, the watchdog that keeps an eye on measurements and verifications.
In future, SANRAL will also work with prosecutors and magistrates to ensure a greater understanding of the WIM-E system and build confidence in the data that is generated.
A successful pilot project has already been run on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal during which the system was tested and accepted by local prosecutors.
Van der Walt said: “The WIM-E system is another example of how modern technology that has been used with great success in other parts of the world can be used locally to improve the safety of road users.”
SANRAL is influential in empowering women in construction and engineering.
Kerisha Govender is a product of SANRAL’s bursary programme.
At the age of 24, Kerisha Govender is one of the shining lights at the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL). She obtained a SANRAL bursary to study at University of KwaZulu-Natal and graduated with a BSc in Civil Engineering (with Honours) in 2014.
Kerisha started working for SANRAL the following year. “I started my career as a civil engineer firstly by being seconded to a consultant to gain site experience. I worked on the Mount Edgecombe Interchange Upgrade project in KwaZulu-Natal from 2015 to 2016.
“My role on the project was Assistant Resident Engineer. I worked with structures – bridges, retaining walls, mechanically stabilised earth walls – and road works. In 2017 I moved to the SANRAL Design Training Academy in Port Elizabeth to be involved in the planning and design process of road infrastructure. I am currently involved in geometric design, tender procurement processes and traffic planning and analysis.”
What drew you to civil engineering? What did you hope to learn?
“From a young age I have been fascinated with the systems of transportation, with major structures and construction works such as major interchanges and buildings, like those in Dubai and Malaysia.
“I always wanted to know how the interchanges worked, what planning and design was required to ensure the fluid flow of traffic, how did railway systems work, how did metro public transport work, what kept structures up, how did bridges span across such large distances? How? Why? Where? When? These constant questions grew in complexity and magnitude as I grew up and was exposed to more information regarding Civil Engineering. So, in 2011, I began my studies towards a BSc Degree in Civil Engineering.”
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt in your curriculum this semester?
“Despite obtaining my BSc degree in Civil Engineering (with honours), the questions did not stop. Thanks to the opportunities provided to me by SANRAL, I developed more interests in the specialist fields of Civil Engineering and my questions increased significantly in terms of complexity and focus.
“So, I took the next step. I applied to join a Master’s in Engineering Programme in Transportation Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch in 2017. SANRAL supported my desire to specialise in the field of Transportation Engineering and encouraged me to further my studies.
“I was also granted a full bursary, which covers my Master’s Degree. My first block module, as part of my Master’s programme, was Transport Economics. The course helped me understand how construction projects were evaluated in terms of whether they were viable or not. This was dependent on the amount of benefits that each alternative of the project generated.
“With this course I gained first-hand exposure as to what needs to be considered and calculated to develop and carry out an economic analysis for a project. I was also exposed to how the results of the calculations are to be interpreted and what those results indicated.”
Have you learned about blasting in your curriculum yet? What is it and when would engineers have to perform controlled blasts?
“In my experience as a Civil Engineer thus far, I have not been directly involved in controlled blasting. My knowledge regarding the topic is that it is a complex activity that needs to be monitored carefully in order to ensure that it runs smoothly. If the necessary precautions are not taken, there could be disastrous effects.
“For example, if too much explosive is used, then the supporting structures or other infrastructure associated with the project could be damaged or weakened significantly. Controlled blasting is done when the blasting works need to be carried out near existing infrastructures such as roads and bridges.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“I hope to have achieved my current goals, which are: to be registered as a Professional Engineer with ECSA, to have my Master’s Degree in Transportation Engineering and to be a Specialist Project Manager.”
Upgrades to the R34 will be an economic enabler and is empowering local communities.
Progress Hlahla, SANRAL’s Northern Region Manager, said this was part of SANRAL’s commitment to the continued improvement of the Platinum Belt of South Africa by linking it to other regions.
The rehabilitation of the R34 national road from Schweizer-Reneke to Vryburg will bring the benefits of a smoother, safer, comfortable and less congested traveling experience.
The road, which links the N14/N18 in Vryburg and the N12 at Wolmaranstad, is situated in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district in the western region of the North West province.
In line with its commitment to matching international road quality standards, SANRAL is currently upgrading the 31.8km length of road from a six-metre surfaced cross-section to a 12.4m surfaced cross-section, improving major intersections and storm water infrastructure.
Work on this project began in February 2017. It includes 900m of the town section and also entails the reconstruction of the slow lane / parking bays on either side of the road, removing and realigning the guardrails at the railway bridge, as well as the resurfacing of pavements. The storm water pipes are also due for upgrading.
This important connector in the Bophirima road network provides a good alternative route for the heavy industrial traffic between Sishen and Gauteng.
It also serves as an economic enabler by giving access to the east coast ports of South Africa.
“As part of SANRAL’s commitment to the continued improvement of the Platinum Belt of South Africa by linking it to other regions, it was a no-brainer for us to give this important route some much-needed attention,” said Progress Hlahla, SANRAL’s Northern Region Manager.
“Our pride is not only in the quality of our roads but in the fact that we have been able to empower locals through the job opportunities created and the training provided as well as the local businesses contracted.”
The project has thus far created employment for 129 local labourers and provided accredited training on basic computer skills, road safety, basic firefighting, first-aid, health and safety, wacker and flag usage.
Fifteen small local companies (SMMEs) have also sub-contracted on the project.
Wellness programme paves the way to a happier, healthier construction industry.
Tshegare Moletsane, SANRAL Project Manager in Limpopo, (Middle) and workers celebrating World Aids Day 2017.
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) is as committed to the quality of life of its workers as it is to the quality of the country’s national roads.
The agency has a wellness programme that paves the way to a happier, healthier construction industry.
While SANRAL is focused on its mandate of improving and maintaining the national road network, it has placed a focus on restoring and maintaining the dignity of labourers working on its projects and their families by implementing an integrated wellness programme on all Limpopo routine road maintenance (RRM) projects.
Call centre established
The wellness programme, which is centred around health risk assessment, facilitation of health topics and monitoring, has been running concurrently with the 12 RRM projects from January 2016.
Testing for HIV, TB, cholesterol, glucose and body mass index has provided valuable insights and has led to the establishment of an emergency 24/7 call centre that workers, especially those with adverse issues, can utilise for health management and counselling.
The call centre grants employees and their family members access to biological monitoring and psychological counselling, which assists with stress management, substance abuse and critical incident management.
Healthy workers mean better productivity
The roads SANRAL builds and maintains connect people to opportunities and serve as a vehicle for the province’s economy. Thus, project interruptions due to absenteeism and low levels of productivity are an unwanted inconvenience.
In view of this, SANRAL’s management team acknowledged it was important to invest in bringing health facilities to their people.
Vusi Mona, General Manager of Communications at SANRAL said: “Our mandate is to build a better South Africa for all citizens. While we are achieving this through the improvement of our roads, it is important to us that those who actually get their hands dirty to achieve this are also well taken care of.”
Besides the obvious health benefits to workers and the community, the implementation of the programme has also had an impact on unemployment in project areas.
On each project SANRAL commences, they appoint a Wellness Champion who is tasked with educating and informing labourers on healthy living.
Mona added: “While we strive to create better working conditions on a daily basis, we celebrated the successes of our wellness programme in the month of May, which places a particular emphasis on workers and their wellness.”
According to Tshegare Moletsane, SANRAL Project Manager in Limpopo, educating labourers has brought about considerable changes. It has dealt with the stigma around HIV/AIDS and more men on site have embraced the importance of being tested and knowing their state of health.
Following the many successes of the rollout, SANRAL has implemented the programme nationally, and with the agency’s footprint across South Africa one can only imagine the positive impact it has had on communities across the country, said Mona.
SANRAL is concernedabout safety risks for users and communities after encroachment of illegal hawkers and land invaders along busy road.
Informal businesses close to the road reserve cause disruptions and put the safety of road users at risk.
The upgrading of the R573 Moloto Road brings jobs, training and opportunities to local businesses in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Yet progress has brought challenges with it.
The 139km stretch of road is one of South Africa’s busiest and most important economic routes connecting the three provinces.
Encroachments, in the form of land invasion and informal businesses close to the road reserve, cause disruptions and put the safety of road users at risk.
SANRAL has partnered with local municipalities and consulted local traditional authorities to try to address these issues, but the problem persists.
Educating communities
The agency had embarked on a roadshow to educate stakeholders on statutory control issues and the allocation of tribal land to communities.
Lerato Mothapo, Statutory Control, and David Thubane, Land Acquisition Officer from SANRAL, work on the project, and for them it’s an everyday battle to try managing the issues.
Thubane said: “Trading inside the national road reserve and the increasing number of shacks at intersections, especially near Phola Mall, are major challenges. This matter was brought to the attention of the Thembisile Hani municipality for intervention. Unfortunately, the resolution of these issues is not happening as required.”
While setting up informal businesses close to the road may seem convenient, it creates a safety hazard. Consumers run the risk of being hit by fast-moving cars when crossing the road.
According to the SANRAL project managers, the agency is fully committed to community development and supporting local business.
However, it cannot risk the lives of others and be at the mercy of illegal hawkers. SANRAL appeals for full co-operation from communities and stakeholders, more those encroaching on the road reserve and ignoring building restrictions or planning to do so, to follow proper procedures in acquiring land.
The agency, together with the provincial and local authorities, plans to accommodate these traders in areas off the road reserve in much safer spots.
Thubane said: “Local communities are asked to respect beacons placed by surveyors indicating the national road reserve. Headmen/chiefs are requested not to allocate stands inside the road reserve.
“In the areas where a road reserve is not shown or demarcated, they are encouraged to liaise with the route routine manager (RRM) or SANRAL representatives for assistance.”
SANRAL will always put road safety and the environment at the forefront of any project.
Baobab trees near Musina being relocated during the upgrading of the N1.
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) believes in striving to give back to the land what it has taken from it, an approach it has adopted in all its construction projects.
SANRAL is responsible for delivering quality roads, and in this line of work there is always some interaction with nature.
Road flooding on R21 due to pine needles
The agency recently came under public scrutiny for cutting down trees in Ekurhuleni. The trees were growing near the R21 on the way to OR Tambo international airport. As a result, it was accused of not being considerate of the environment.
But there was a good reason for getting rid of the pine trees: the pine needles were continuously blocking grind inlets, which leads to flooding of the road. SANRAL replaced the pine trees with Karee, which will not block any inlets.
This is the way the agency works, as can be seen in the relocation of Baobab trees near Musina during the upgrading of the N1. Eleven Baobabs and 197 Shepherd trees were relocated.
Committed to preserving the environment
According to Vusi Mona, SANRAL General Manager of Communications, the agency always strives to meet the requirements as set out in Environmental Management Plan (EMP) per project.
The agency is committed to preserving the environment and the crucial role that trees play. In 2015, when trees along the R511 at the Hartbeespoort Dam had to be removed, it was done to improve the safety of road users.
In that instance, the agency obtained a permit from the Department of Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) in Mmabatho, North West, to remove these trees. Many of them were either obstructing sight distances, were too close to the side of road or too close to structures such as concrete-lined side drains and bridges.
Mona said: “We are always considerate of the environment when building roads; whether it’s removing indigenous plants on a planned road reserve, managing stray animals crossing the road or digging-up rocks and sand for construction.
“We have an EMP for every project and it guides us to minimise or avoid adverse environmental impact.”
This goes beyond just relocating trees. A construction, area has to be fully rehabilitated so that it will be usable again. For example, if grass has been dug up, it will be replanted and maintained over time.
SANRAL always consults and acquires permits from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to ensure that all requirements are met before construction takes place.
