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New N17 pedestrian bridges

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SANRAL project manager Tshidi Lethale, said SANRAL ensuring that roads are safely engineered for all road users is an important part of the agency’s work.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has constructed three new pedestrian bridges on the N17 between Springs and Johannesburg, which promise to reduce the risk of pedestrians and cyclists being run over by cars when crossing the busy highway.

The bridges were constructed by the roads agency at an investment of R90.8-million.

A welcome relief

Two bridges are in the Springs/Brakpan area, in the East Rand, and the third is in Regents Park, Johannesburg. Completed in August, they are a welcome relief for residents.

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Sibongile Sibiya, ward committee member at Mkhancwa informal settlement in the Springs/Brakpan area, said: “The bridge changed our lives. Before the pedestrian bridge was constructed, we were facing multiple deaths.”

The bridges have rest points for elderly and disabled persons, and concrete bollards to prevent cars from driving on pavements.

SANRAL’s mandate is not only about building and maintaining the national road network.

“Ensuring our roads are safely engineered for all road users is an important part of our work,” said SANRAL project manager Tshidi Lethale.

Lethale explained that pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. “That is why we make a concerted effort to ensure that pedestrians and cyclists are considered in the planning, design and implementation of road infrastructure.”

SANRAL monitors Cape vulture colony

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In 2015 the Cape vulture, which is common to southern Africa, was listed as a regionally endangered species.

No evidence has been found of disturbance to the Msikaba Cape vulture colony during the recent environmental monitoring related to the construction of the Msikaba and Mtentu bridge haul roads.

As part of the environmental requirements for the N2 Wild Coast road project (N2WC), the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL), recently monitored the impact construction had on the Msikaba vulture colony.

In 2015 the Cape vulture, which is common to southern Africa, was listed as a regionally endangered species. The Msikaba vulture colony is one of the primary conservation priorities in the Eastern Cape with approximately 170 to 190 pairs regularly nesting on the cliffs of the Msikaba River Gorge.

Expert monitoring

Ornithologists were appointed to monitor the reaction of the vulture colony to controlled rock cutting explosion taking place on the haul road construction sites some 12 to 13 kilometres away.

This monitoring allowed SANRAL to assess the potential impact of the construction on the vultures during breeding season and ensure that any negative impact was prevented. If discernible negative effects were observed, no further blasting would have been allowed during the breeding season of March to July every year.

“On the day prior to blasting, vulture counts were conducted at half hourly intervals from the vulture viewing platform located directly opposite the colony to determine the number of birds perched on the cliffs and flying above or in front of the colony. This helped to establish a baseline of the vulture activity. Counts were then repeated on the day when blasting took place,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s communications manager.

The initial blast took place at the Mtentu haul road site which is situated 12.8 kilometres north of the vulture colony.

“When compared to the observations of the baseline study, there was no difference between the vultures’ general activities before, during and after the blasting. The vulture colony did not react in any way whatsoever to the blasting,” said Mona.

Similar observations were made during the remaining five blasts at the Mtentu site and the two blasts at the Msikaba site – situated 12 kilometres west of the vulture colony.

No negative effect

As a result, the monitoring programme determined that the blasting activities that took place on the Mtentu and Msikaba haul road sites have not had any noticeable negative effect on the breeding Cape vulture colony to date.

“The vulture colony is exposed to various audible anthropogenic disturbances that range from low flying helicopters and microlight aircraft to gunshots fired in the gorge below. Neither the blasts nor the other audible disturbances seemed to affect the vulture in any way,” said Mona.

“We are pleased to note that although Cape Vultures can be susceptible to disturbances at breeding colonies, there was no evidence of negative reaction to the haul road construction activities.

“While we will continue to monitor from time to time we are reassured that there are also unlikely to be any major disturbances from the construction activities on the bridges or the N2 Wild Coast highway over the next few years,” Mona concluded.

The N11 – an undiscovered tourist gem

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Loskop Dam Nature Reserve is a major tourist attraction in the Mpumalanga region.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has been renovating section 10 of the N11 – from Middelburg to the Olifants River Bridge, since February 2015, a stone’s throw from Damwal’s commercial hub.

The project, valued at more than R404-million, is aimed at improving safety and curbing road fatalities in the notorious Kranspoort Pass.

The N11 project will provide plenty of opportunities for the province, since it is an important link to Limpopo and the vibrant tourism hub situated along the route, including Forever Loskop Dam, a major attraction in Mpumalanga and the neighbouring reserve.

The reserve is home to more than 70 species of wildlife – including buffalo, leopard and white rhino.

Successful project

The project has employed more than 165 locals and a total of 22 subcontractors were used in the project as part of SANRAL’s community development initiative.

The scope of work included the widening of the pass to accommodate more traffic – adding two lanes in each direction, both up and down.

The improvements included the installation of concrete barriers and two arrestor beds for downhill runaway trucks.

Since the February 2015 start of the project, road construction was expected to be completed by the end of August 2017. Everyone involved has succeeded in achieving this goal.

The road is expected to be formally handed over to SANRAL at the end of October.

Roadshow creates awareness of SANRAL programmes for youth

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The roadshow in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape.

One of the first students to ever be awarded a SANRAL bursary, Lindelani Tsanwani, has led roadshows creating awareness of the roads agency’s programmes available for the youth.

“Financial assistance is available to high school learners and students of tertiary institutions in the Eastern Cape who are looking to pursue careers which involve maths and science.”

This was the message being relayed by the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) at their annual scholarship and bursary roadshow in the province.

Taking it to the road

The roadshow included three programmes, the university roadshows, the bursary and scholarship programmes for high school learners and the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) roadshows that took place at all colleges in the Eastern Cape.

Tsanwani, who is now a project manager at the roads agency, said: “With regards to bursaries and scholarships, we visited Eastern Cape high schools to create awareness of the opportunities afforded by SANRAL.

“We aimed to visit all schools that received an average of 55% pass rate in grade 12 last year. We have schools in the deep rural areas doing well in maths and science. I understand the struggle and having to stress about not knowing how you will pay for your fees.

“Transformation includes giving opportunities to the disadvantaged. Eastern Cape is one of the poorer provinces in South Africa and we need to have more bursary holders coming from this area.”

Earlier in September, Tsanwani and colleagues had successful roadshows at 15 high schools along the R61 between Queenstown and Mthatha.

The university roadshows also included a visit to Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Port Elizabeth on Friday, 22 September and the Walter Sisulu University Butterworth campus on Thursday 28 September. The SANRAL team also visited the Walter Sisulu University East London campus.

Practical training

At these roadshows SANRAL explained the practical training opportunities that are available for students currently completing their diploma qualifications. Practical training is a requirement of all civil diploma qualifications. These training opportunities are offered on all SANRAL projects.

Tsanwani said: “Throughout the roadshows we aim to create relationships between SANRAL, universities and the students and to engage them on how we can make the training programme work better for everyone and be accessible for everyone.”

First of four

Tsanwani was among the first four bursary graduates to be employed permanently by SANRAL after university and was among the first ever graduates to manage a SANRAL project. He was also among the first bursary students to complete his Masters studies which was also paid for by SANRAL.

“I was also one of the first graduates to be registered as a professional engineer by SANRAL. I am very proud to be the first in most of the things that SANRAL has done for me and my career,” he said.

Learners can apply for the SANRAL scholarship programme which supports academically deserving applicants in grades 10 to 12. The minimum requirements are an overall aggregate of 75% – with at least 70% in mathematics and science and 65% in English.

The bursaries are awarded to needy South African students who have successfully completed their first year of undergraduate studies or those currently registered for second, third, or fourth year and postgraduate studies.

Eastern Cape roads in good hands with this SMME

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Nwabisa Mugubasi, who works with her mother, Nontsokolo, said her company has benefited greatly from the training SANRAL offers to small and emerging enterprises.

A mother-and-daughter team from the Eastern Cape has gained a firm foothold in road construction in the province, developing skills along the way.

Sokhazimla Trading is an active participant in construction activities on the N2 project near Port Elizabeth, where its teams work closely with the main contractor, RoadMac.

Sokhazimla’s work included the installation of subsoil drains on the Stanford Road intersection and it was also responsible for glass grids between the Commercial Road and Burman Road offramps.

A duo

Nwabisa Mugubasi, who works with her mother, Nontsokolo, said her company has benefited greatly from the training SANRAL offers to small and emerging enterprises.

“They go very far to accommodate and empower small contractors. Every opportunity with SANRAL has been positive for us,” she said.

Nontsokolo registered Sokhazimla Trading in 2004 while her daughter was still at school. After completing her studies in project management and road construction, Nwabisa gained some experience with an architectural firm before joining her mother in the business.

The company is registered as a level 1 B-BBEE enterprise and has acquired a 2CE PE rating from the Construction Industry Development Board.

The extra mile

“As an SMME, we see the difference SANRAL makes with the training courses it provides,” said Nwabisa. “We have benefited from the training, especially gaining experience in the procedures required for the completion of tender documents.

“We hope to grow with SANRAL.”

Sokhazimla’s headquarters are in KwaDwezi and the company has another office in North End. It employs six permanent staff and can accommodate up to six additional people, depending on the size of the project.

Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s Southern Region Manager, said the agency supports the growth of emerging enterprises and job creation through the application of participation goals in all its contracts.

“A predetermined percentage of the main contractor’s total contract value must be allocated to the subcontracting of SMMEs,” he said.

Creating employment, facilitating empowerment

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Theresa Cupido first became aware of opportunities in the construction and civil engineering sectors when South Africa was gearing up for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

From humble beginnings, with five employees and two bakkies, a Cape Town company has grown into a successful construction group that has worked on major road maintenance programmes over the past six years.

Theresa Cupido, founder and managing director of ATN Group, says her company has just completed four contracts for the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL), to the value of R41-million, on the N1 and N2 in the Western Cape.

Females doing it

With its head office in Stikland, ATN is a 100% black- and female-owned company with a primary focus on routine road maintenance and provides work for 50 permanent employees and up to 200 contract workers at a time.

“The work we do includes the general cleaning of road reserves, culverts, repairing flood damage, upgrading of storm water and sewerage pipes, vegetation control and the construction of gabions,” said Cupido.

She first became aware of opportunities in the construction and civil engineering sectors when South Africa was gearing up for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

SANRAL’s continued support has helped to grow the company, with contracts enabling ATN to plan ahead for at least three years within a stable environment.

In 2014, Cupido received the award for Job Creator of the Year at the 2014 Sanlam Business Partners Entrepreneur event. The award recognised the significant role she has played in employing and empowering people in the industry.

Paying it forward

“Owning a business and empowering people has always been my dream, as I grew up in a family of business-minded individuals,” said Cupido.

As part of its commitment to training and development, ATN employs both skilled and semi-skilled industry professionals and ensures that there are fixed systems in place to transfer expertise across all levels.

This ensures that 2% of its annual turnover is spent on training and internship programmes.

“In addition, our routine road maintenance contracts are split between local temporary labour and contract employees to encourage job creation within the industry. We assist smaller industry players and subcontractors through an enterprise development programme, which creates opportunities to become industry compliant,” she said.

Balancing the needs of communities and the environment

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Fynbos rescued during construction.

Road construction and maintenance projects across the world inevitably impact the environment.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) prides itself on its ability to strike a careful balance between the socio-economic benefits that a road or upgraded bridge will bring to a community and the need for sustainable environmental practices.

Management of the environment is at the core of decisions taken by SANRAL on every project – from conception and design to construction, delivery and ongoing maintenance.

Caring for the environment

The modern concept of caring for the environment goes way beyond looking after nature. It includes the long-term impact of the road on surrounding communities, the future of plant and animal species and issues relating to climate change.

Each SANRAL project is accompanied by a comprehensive environmental impact assessment. World-class experts from both SANRAL and independent companies assess the project, taking into account location, proximity to natural resources and the unique character of the region and communities who live close to the road.

One example is the N17 from Springs to Ermelo, which is of vital economic importance to Gauteng and Mpumalanga, as well as South Africa’s neighbours in Swaziland.

The planning of this road required the combined expertise of independent environmentalists, economists and experts in the fields of tourism, trade and commerce.

In the North West, the construction of a bridge on the N14 near Delareyville had implications for the Barberspan bird sanctuary – an internationally recognised conservation area that is home to more than 365 different bird species. During the construction, special care was taken not to disturb a rare colony of cliff swallows, while a range of other measures were introduced to mitigate the impact of the building activities on the sensitive ecosystem.

Then there’s the N2 Wild Coast Toll Highway. This project has attracted attention from both environmental activists and community organisations.

The original environmental assessment was referred back for more detailed studies, which resulted in a much-improved plan for the road. A survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council now shows that there is overwhelming public support for the project, which has the potential to unlock the tourism and agricultural potential of a region that has been neglected in the past.

During construction on the N2 between Grahamstown and the Fish River, SANRAL worked closely with a postgraduate student at Rhodes University to study a population of the Suurberg cushion bush (Oldenburgia grandis). This research resulted in the preservation of a very important plant species.

When planning started on the new Polokwane Eastern Ring Road in Limpopo, heritage experts expressed concerns about its potential impact on the rich archaeological history of the region.

When a few graves were discovered during construction, SANRAL halted its activities, brought in experts and worked with local communities to apply for the exhumation of the remains.

Climate change

Global concerns about climate change – and local concerns about power shortages – are important factors when the energy-efficiency of transport networks is considered. Again, SANRAL is taking the lead in innovation. On a section of the busy N2 in KwaZulu-Natal, a lighting management system was installed that enables an operator to control the overhead lighting and adjust it according to the time of day and traffic volume.

This system will lead to energy savings of up to 40% and has the potential to be rolled out to other sections of the national road network.

These examples all show that SANRAL takes its stewardship of the environment very seriously. The South African public can be assured that the agency is committed to sound environmental principles and that its decisions are based on the latest global research and practices.

This is an opinion piece by Mpati Mokoa, SANRAL’s Environmental Manager.

Arbour Month puts the spotlight on SANRAL’s role in conservation

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A number of baobab relocated in 2002 are thriving.

Proactive steps taken by SANRAL’s environmental experts are preserving rare plant species and sensitive habitats during road-building programmes throughout South Africa.

Mpati Makoa, the Environmental Manager of the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL), said the coming Arbour Month activities will focus on the need to protect indigenous trees and forests, while presenting an opportunity to focus attention on SANRAL’s excellent track record in conservation.

SANRAL’s conservation activities at the Mtentu Bridge construction site, along the N2 Wild Coast road project, demonstrate its commitment to work with experts, other government departments and local communities to protect rare plants and rehabilitate the environment after construction activities are completed.

The Minister of Transport, Joe Maswanganyi, announced in early September that work on South Africa’s longest main span bridge will start as part of road development designed to unlock the economic potential of the Eastern Cape and provide residents with easier access to health care, education and employment opportunities.

Rescue and preservation

In preparation for the construction, environmentalists are “rescuing” thousands of plants from roads reserves of the Mtentu Bridge and from the Msikaba Bridge site, and relocating them to specially-constructed temporary holding areas within the construction areas.

At these holding areas the plants will be maintained, nurtured and replanted when construction finishes. Rarer species will be moved to protected areas and seeds from selected plants are harvested and stored to be planted over the next few growing seasons.

Makoa said the tree and plant conservation activities in the Eastern Cape are not new to SANRAL, as over the years, similar efforts have been undertaken on several other construction and maintenance sites across the 22 200km primary road network.

SANRAL recognises that road building often has an impact on the environment and there are stringent policies and procedures in place to mitigate this.

Limpopo

Between Makhado and the Beit Bridge border in Limpopo, the N1 passes through one of the world’s largest baobab reserves. This remarkable tree that grows predominantly in the bushveld climate is singled out for special mention during this year’s Arbour Month activities.

During the design of the road, great care was taken to ensure only a minimum number of trees were affected. A few of the giant trees were, however, successfully relocated close to the edges of the road reserve.

The relocations took place under the supervision of authorities, with the cooperation of land owners and local communities. The health of the trees is constantly monitored and inspections show that all the baobabs are in good condition.

KwaZulu-Natal

In KwaZulu-Natal, SANRAL took extraordinary steps to protect the plants that were disturbed during the construction of the Kwambonambi interchange in the northern part of the province. The N2 passes through a swamp forest which contained rare types of vegetation.

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Andrew Booth stands at the site shortly after plants were rehabilitated during the construction of the Kwambonambi Interchange.

Makoa said: “SANRAL saw the opportunity to revive the swamp forest on the downstream side of the new interchange. A botanist identified 91 plant species – of which 20 are considered to be rare – to be relocated. Over 90% of the replanted species have survived and are growing well despite the drought.”

North West

In the North West, SANRAL took proactive measures to plant indigenous trees at traffic circles on the R24. More than 30 different species that thrive in the water-scarce climate were selected, including the mountain aloe, the white stinkwood and the forest bushwillow.

Western Cape

In the Western Cape, SANRAL’s upgrades to the N7 meant that special precautions were taken to mitigate environmental damage.

During the first quarter of 2016, the agency carefully removed nearly 60 varieties of plant species, which were temporarily housed in nurseries while construction was underway.

As construction is now complete, plants of which the majority are fynbos and bulb species, are systematically re-introduced to their natural environment. In the past two months, over 20 000 plants have been re-planted and are thriving.

With the Cape’s low rainfall and prevailing drought conditions, many of the plants may be kept in nurseries until there has been more rain and will therefore likely be re-planted in time for next winter.

“Through our conservation activities we are contributing to the aims of Arbour Month and making a significant contribution to ensure South Africa’s natural heritage can co-exist with the need for modern road infrastructure,” said Makoa.

The exceptional Wiseman

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Wisemen Mavuso’s interest in civil engineering began when he noticed that a new road in Mpumalanga had massive potholes less than three months after it had been completed.

Wiseman Mavuso was one of the 39 students, across three universities in the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited’s Western Region, to be awarded a bursary in 2015/16.

Mavuso is tackling his dreams head-on and has some advice for other young people: “Work hard.”

Good grades

From grades one to seven, Mavuso emerged and maintained his position as the top student in his school. Upon starting high school, learners from other areas meant new and tougher competition and Mavuso realised that he would have to up his game.

He earned the status of maths fundi and was most disappointed when he did not achieve 100% in his final maths exam. He had to be satisfied with 93%.

But his achievements came despite having no maths and science teachers at his school. Saturday programmes he attended at other schools had helped.

Seeing opportunity

His interest in civil engineering began when he noticed that a new road in Mpumalanga had massive potholes less than three months after it had been completed.

Mavuso started wondering how this had happened. Who was responsible? What materials were used? How could this be avoided in future?

So at the tender age of 18, Mavuso, who had never ventured beyond KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, set off on a bus to the Mother City to enrol at the University of Cape Town for an engineering degree.

With no friends and no financial support from family, this tenacious young man put one foot in front of the other and started building his dream, one brick at a time.

SANRAL bursary

He had applied for several bursaries and was delighted to be offered an interview by SANRAL, making sure he arrived thoroughly prepared. His preparation paid off – he was awarded the coveted bursary.

“Being awarded a SANRAL bursary has taken enormous strain off my shoulders and I can now channel 100% of my energy into striving for academic excellence,” said the humble Mavuso.

If the 94% he achieved for engineering mechanics in his first year is anything to go by, academic excellence is most certainly what this young man is all about.

His mother’s role

Asked about the family he left back home, he said his mother is undoubtedly his rock. She supported him and encouraged him to dream, work and persevere. Her years of nurturing have also instilled in him the desire to help others.

Even with a heavy workload, he finds the time to mentor and tutor other students in maths.

Now in his second year of study, Mavuso’s scope of interest is already widening and his new fascination is exceptionally tall structures, the likes of which are found in opulent cities like Dubai.

He has no immediate plans to set off beyond the borders of South Africa, though.

Instead, he said, he’d like to take lessons from the rest of the world’s engineering and apply them to new developments in South Africa.

“Who knows? I may just be involved in the design of multi-level tunnels in the future,” he said.