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Pretoria, 30 July 2021 – With just over two months until applications close, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is reminding South African youth to take full advantage of its bursary and scholarship programme. At a time of economic uncertainty and pressure for consumers, SANRAL’s financial aid is designed to take the financial pressure off students and allow them to focus purely on excelling academically.

Particularly, while SANRAL’s academic policy allows for an expanded net of socio-economic inclusion for bursary and scholarship recipients, there is no better time to grab this opportunity.

Laaiquah Frank, a go-getter who is currently in her final year of studying Civil Engineering at Wits University, is actively encouraging other young people to take up bursary opportunities. “I am deeply grateful for this bursary. Not only did it provide me with education, but it allowed me to live meaningfully, and even contribute in some small way, to making life a bit easier at home,” said Frank. Her advice to young people? “The possibilities are endless when your fire is burning inside. Don’t stress about the how part. Just do it and chase your fire!”

While SANRAL remains committed to developing a pipeline of Civil Engineering professionals in support of its mandate of building and maintaining South Africa’s national road network, the roads agency is cognisant of the fact that a multi-faceted state-owned entity requires a strong and robust corporate structure to give effect to its mandate. Financial support through bursary allocations for disciplines such as Public Relations, Auditing, Supply Chain Management, Law, Human Resources and Finance, which collectively support the corporate structure, will give effect to that mandate.

Fefe Mzimane, who completed a National Diploma in Civil Engineering from Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2015, says the financial assistance he received from SANRAL has been life changing. While working in the field in 2016, he soon learnt the difference between an Engineering Technician and a Registered Engineer. This inspired him to enrol for an undergraduate degree at Stellenbosch University, and with SANRAL’s help, he is currently completing his Master’s Degree.

The bursary programme, which formerly focussed purely on funding Engineering studies, is now within reach of students pursuing an array of tertiary qualifications at public universities across the country. In a holistic business environment, the auxiliary line functions that support SANRAL’s Engineering function are as crucial and as such, funding will be available to full-time students studying Law, Public Administration, Finance, Human Resources, among other fields. Matriculants will need a 70% overall pass, while existing students will require 60% to be eligible for a SANRAL bursary.

Bursaries cover:
• Tuition and registration
• Books and equipment
• Compulsory excursions and seminars
• Accommodation and meals
• Living allowance

SANRAL’s scholarship programme
SANRAL’s scholarship programme was historically developed to give financial support to learners from Grade 10 to Grade12, ideally those who excel in mathematics and science. 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%.

Scholarships cover:
• School fees
• Books and prescribed stationery
• Winter and summer uniforms
• Hostel accommodation (where applicable)
• Extra tuition classes in support of improved grades.

Bursary recipients are not automatically employed by SANRAL upon completion of their studies. Through an internship programme, SANRAL offers graduates the opportunity to work and apply their knowledge, while at the same time exposing them to other sectors within the greater built environment space. This expands their pool of opportunities and creates significant networking platforms for further career development.

Northern Cape, 28 July 2021 – Yet another road construction project in the Northern Cape has been completed to excellent standards. The reseal of the N12, section 6 was completed in just over one year, with a significant economic boost to the local community.

The works was divided into two contracts, one from Victoria West to Rietpoort, and the other from Rietpoort to Vosburg.
“We started this project in June last year, while South Africa was still coming to terms with Level 4 lockdown. Establishing a Project Liaison Committee during this time, was one of the key challenges we experienced. We also had to contend with a surfacing stone shortage, as the supplier closed their operations for two months as a result of COVID-19,” said Mari Erwee, SANRAL Project Manager.

Actophambili Roads was the main contractor on both these contracts, with a combined project value of R164 million. Through the two contracts, they had appointed 21 subcontractors as part of the targeted enterprise commitments of the project.

Furthermore, 339 labour opportunities were created for the local communities of Victoria West, Rietpoort, Vosburg and surrounds. These included 156 women and nearly 200 youth.

The scope of works included texture slurry, a new surfacing seal, new road markings, reflective road studs, signage, the fixing of culvert inlets and outlets, building of gabions and extending sidewalks in the town of Victoria West.
“As infrastructure development continues to drive South Africa’s economic recovery post COVID-19, SANRAL is proud to play a leading role in effecting change. Not only has the construction work injected much needed economic benefit into the region, but the new road surface significantly improves the driving experience and overall road safety,” concluded Erwee.

Eastern Cape MEC for Roads, Transport and Safety, the Honourable Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe, will officially hand over the R61 Baziya to Mthatha Airport road upgrade project located in the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality near Mthatha – to H & I Construction, the main contractor this week.

The project’s main contractor and consultants will be introduced to the MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe, as well as to the AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, O.R. Tambo District Municipality Mayor Thokozile Sokhanyile and KSD Local Municipality Executive Mayor Councillor Nyaniso Nelani.

The project, valued at approximately R237 million, will create work for approximately 250 people. The scope of work will include widening the existing road cross-section with surfaced shoulders and additional auxiliary lanes to facilitate traffic flow. All the major structures are approximately 95% completed and require finishing off around these structures. Some access roads leading to the R61 will be re-gravelled or surfaced.

The details of the handover ceremony are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 29 July 2021
Time: 11h00 – 14h00
Venue: Mthatha Airport & virtually
RSVP: Wednesday, 28 July 2021 at 15H00
RSVP: Sanral@fticonsulting.com or Shaanaaz at Shaanaaz.Loggenberg@fticonsulting.com or Lwando at Mahlasela.Lwando@fticonsulting.com

Pretoria, 19 July 2021 – In light of the protest action and large-scale looting seen across certain parts of the country over the last few days, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) appeals to road users to help mitigate risks at toll plazas and to refrain from paying with cash, where possible.

While the situation seems to have been brought under control with the deployment of additional military resources to restore and maintain public order, SANRAL is aware of the risks associated with toll plazas potentially carrying large sums of cash.

“To this end, we appeal to road users to make use of e-tags or card payments where possible. Not only does this mitigate the risks for looting and attacking toll plazas, but while South Africa is gripped in the Third wave of Covid-19, every attempt should be made to limit the touching of shared surfaces,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s General Manager of Communications and Marketing.

SANRAL continues to impose stringent health protocols at all toll plazas in line with the guidelines issued by the Department of Health to ensure the safety of its employees as well as road users.

Eastern Cape, 06 July 2021: A temporary cableway that will drastically reduce the travelling time between the South and North sites of the Msikaba Bridge will soon be operational on the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) Project.

The distance between the north and south banks of the Msikaba Bridge site is approximately 600m but is currently only accessible via an almost three-hour drive by road over 96km.

The cable car will enable site staff to cross the gorge in an estimated three to four minutes. The cable car, which can accommodate up to six people or 500kg in weight, will transport site staff and occasionally small quantities of material from the south to the north bank and vice versa.

“Even though the two sides of the bridge are effectively being built as two sub-projects, each with its own staff, equipment and material, it is necessary for senior staff and specialists to be able to access both sides of the gorge easily. Due to the logistical problems of getting from one side of the site to the other, the cableway is being installed for temporary use by staff for the remaining duration of the construction period,” said Craig McLachlan, SANRAL’s lead project manager on the N2WCR Project.

A company from Switzerland, licensed to install cableways, has been appointed to carry out the work. Work on the cableway started a year ago but was substantially delayed when the coronavirus pandemic curtailed international travel. The installation of the cableway is estimated to be completed in mid-July 2021.

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL), as the custodian of the N2WCR Project, is making steady progress in developing this multi-billion-rand project, which will serve as a crucial economic artery in the region.

The R1.65 billion Msikaba Bridge is currently under construction. The cable-stay bridge, with a 580m span and 195m height, is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The N2WCR Project entails upgrading the 410km of road, which stretches from East London to the Mtamvuna River, on the border between the Eastern Cape and the KwaZulu-Natal provinces. The project is located on the N2, which connects four provinces, i.e. the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, and traverses the cities and major towns of Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha, Durban and Ermelo.

The project consists of two mega bridges, the Mtentu Bridge and the Msikaba Bridge projects, and seven other major road works projects, including several major bridges and interchange structures.

Tenders for the Mtentu Bridge project has closed, and it is currently in adjudication. A contractor is expected to be appointed in the second half of 2021. Provided that there are no significant delays on the Mtentu Bridge project, the construction period is estimated to be 46 months, including a four-month mobilisation period.

Limpopo, 31 May 2021: The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) hosted an information sharing session in Botlokwa to announce the upgrade of the Botlokwa Clinic Road. The 2,5-kilometre-long project, which runs from the National Road 1 (N1) to the new clinic in Machaka, will be upgraded from gravel road to surface road.

“Our purpose today is to engage the community and the Machaka Traditional Council with the necessary knowledge regarding the project upgrade as well as upcoming SANRAL projects. At SANRAL we will continue to drive the Horizon 2030 strategy, reaching out to stakeholders in all three spheres of government, from national, provincial, to local. We also always ensure that community members that live alongside our national roads benefit from these projects” said Moloko Masenya, SANRAL’s Northern Region stakeholder coordinator for Limpopo Province.

The event was attended by ward councillors, Machaka Traditional Council, Molemole Business Forum, Botlokwa Road Safety Organisation, Marama Taxi Association, Headmen, and other affected communities. “The information session presents an opportunity for the community to endorse SANRAL’s project plans and acknowledge the project liaison committee formed to represent them throughout the lifespan of the project,” said Masenya.

Consultants that will work on the project were appointed in January 2021 for a period of 12 months. Once the design work is complete, the tender will be advertised for the appointment of the main contractor, which is expected start work in the first quarter of 2022.

“SANRAL provided this opportunity for local communities to participate in contracting and sub-contracting opportunities on the project. The R 10 million project consists of design (valued at R2 million) and construction and supervision (valued at R8 million). The communities are therefore presented with opportunities that will allow local SMMEs to obtain training and job creation prospects that will be realised through this project,” said Tony Seloana, SANRAL’s Northern Region Project Manager.

SANRAL will continuously liaise with the appointed Project Liaison Committee to follow the process in the hiring of local labourers for the duration of the project. Continuous project information sessions and introductions of contract teams to the traditional authority and local municipality is crucial throughout the project life cycle to foster conducive relations with targeted stakeholders.