Blog - Page 167 of 199 - SANRAL Stop Over

Construction of SANRAL N2 Wild Coast Toll Road to create up to 55 000 jobs

26Jun2017

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N2-article — The N2WCTR is set to alleviate some of the pressure experienced by many as a result of this unemployment.

About 5% of the estimated 980 000 unemployed individuals in the Eastern Cape could gain job opportunities through the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR).

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) announced that as many as 55 000 people will be employed during its construction.

Craig McLachlan, SANRAL’s N2WCTR Project Manager said: “The Eastern Cape’s official unemployment rate stands at 28.6%, expanded unemployment extends to 44.5% and over two million grants are being paid out every month.

“As bad as this figure is, it is an average and hides even more horrifying local statistics, with certain rural municipalities such as Ingquza Hill (based around Lusikisiki, Flagstaff and Holy Cross) having unemployment figures in excess of 85%.”

The N2WCTR is set to alleviate some of the pressure experienced by many as a result of this unemployment.

“While some of the estimated 55 000 jobs to be created will ensure people that are currently employed stay employed, a significant portion will be new jobs.

“Potentially, as much as 5% of the estimated 980 000 unemployed individuals in the Eastern Cape could gain some employment through the project and its spin offs,” said McLachlan.

How the budget will be spent

Approximately 5% of the budget for the 112 kilometer greenfields section of the N2WCTR will be spent on labour. More than R400-million will be allocated to wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers employed directly on the N2WCTR project.

A further R1.5-billion is destined for local SMMEs comprising of local contractors and local suppliers of goods and services to the road and bridge construction projects.

McLachlan said: “SANRAL’s direct job creation forecast is 1.8 million man-days or 8 000 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs over the construction period of four to five years. These jobs will not just be for unskilled labour but will include semi-skilled and skilled jobs as well, including local builders, engineers, grader operators, excavator operators, welders, mechanics, foremen, drivers, and bricklayers, to name but a few.

“According to economic employment opportunity propensities indices for road construction projects, up to 25 000 additional indirect FTE jobs will be created by subcontractors and suppliers over the construction period. These indirect jobs will be derived from a variety of fields: security, plant hire, manufacturing, catering, logistics, and aggregate and hard rock products, among others, and most will be located in the Eastern Cape.”

Opening up opportunities

Adding to this, he noted the new route creates access to the Pondoland area and forms a shorter and faster link between KZN and the Eastern Cape. It will help promote local and regional economic growth in a number of alternate areas including manufacturing, transportation and logistics, agriculture, agri-processing, and tourism.

McLachlan concluded: “Tourism, particularly, is seen as a high growth potential area. The 2008 specialist tourism study done as part of the EIA report estimated that over a 10-year period post construction, an additional 674 000 tourists would be brought to the Eastern Cape as a direct result of the refurbishment of the N2WCTR.

“Such an increase will require over 1 050 new beds in the hospitality industry of which approximately 900 would be in the Transkei area. This large increase in visitors could lead to a growth in local employment figures of up to 22 450 people over the first 10 years after the route is opened.”

Freeway management of the Cape storm

22Jun2017

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FMS-1 — Approximately 240 strategically placed CCTV cameras on Cape Town’s major freeways feed real-time information on traffic conditions to the Cape Town traffic management system.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited’s (SANRAL) capacity to handle emergencies was tested during the recent storms in Cape Town on 6 and 7 June 2017.

Approximately 240 strategically placed CCTV cameras on Cape Town’s major freeways feed real-time information on traffic conditions to the Cape Town traffic management system.

This system was tested by the extreme 48-hour storm experienced in Cape Town.

The centre is operated jointly by SANRAL, the City of Cape Town, and the Western Cape government, as part of the Freeway Management System (FMS) that became operational in 2010.

“During the time that the storm battered Cape Town and surrounds, the ability to coordinate a multi-agency response proved invaluable,” said Randall Cable, SANRAL’s Engineering Manager: Operations.

A total of 132 incidents were reported with 116 confirmed freeway incidents over this period. Of this number, 104 were attended to on-scene and included:

24 crashes involving 48 vehicles
61 stationary vehicles
2 instances of flooding
5 incidents of road debris, including trees
6 lost loads
4 animals in the road reserve
2 incidents of a criminal nature.

On occasion, a few lanes of this vital road network were closed, but cleared within less than an hour.

The average detection of incidents was less than three minutes – 00:02:51 to be exact – and the average clearance of incidents sits at 00:48:25.

Real-time information about Cape Town freeway traffic conditions are available at www.i-traffic.co.za and on Twitter @CapeTownFreeway for more detailed information.

SANRAL giving hope to youth of Mpondoland

21Jun2017

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Nombali-1 — Emergent youth entrepreneur Nombali Hlongwe is receiving a second chance in life through SANRAL’s integrated community development and skills training programme.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited is giving young business owners a springboard through skills development and guaranteed employment opportunities in Mpondoland.

SANRAL’s community development and community access construction roads project – a spin-off programme in support of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR) – is slowly transforming the socio-economic landscape by letting the youth break the cycle of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

The SANRAL programmes are part of the community access road upgrading project for the N2 Wild Coast Highway in Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo District Municipalities.

The SANRAL integrated community development project includes 30 SMME construction businesses and new start-ups (CIDB levels 1 – 3) currently enrolled on SAQA and CETA-accredited training programmes (NQF levels 3 -5) at three learning centres in Mbizana, Lusikisiki and Port St. Johns.

The programme will also train an additional 330 individuals with civil engineering skills to help create a local labour force for the N2WCTR.

Changing lives

Nombali Hlongwe, like many youths in Mbizana, had a difficult start in life.

Nombali spoke about her life before the SANRAL scholarship.

“I was a former finance student of the Durban University of Technology,” she said. “A lack of financial resources forced me to drop out of studies. I then worked as a call centre agent for a South African cellular network in Durban. However, for personal reasons, I had to resign and return to my family home.”

Nombali, a single mother of a four-year-old son, leaves her home between 06:30 and 06:45 to walk to class to arrive on time at 08:00.

She lives with her parents, her son, grandmother and 12 other siblings in Mbizana’s Ward 23. Her dad, Sandile is a taxi owner and mom, Nofezile is a house wife, who loves to grow her own vegetables.

“When I heard about the opportunity to participate in SANRAL’s community road building and skills programme in Mbizana I knew this would be good for my future. It would also be an opportunity for me to make a difference in my community and help create jobs,” Nombali said.

After applying and being selected by SANRAL to participate in a two-year skills development programme, she founded new start-up company, Pumlani Construction.

She believes the SANRAL project is creating much needed work for the unemployed through skills development.

SANRAL’s training programme will give Nombali the qualification she could never afford. A year from now, she will receive a CETA accredited certificate in construction management, and the programme also includes several modules on business management which will help her to run a sustainable and profitable enterprise.

Nombali said: “We need jobs in this area. Most of the youth are unemployed, there are some who turn to alcohol abuse and using drugs because they have nothing better to do.”

Changing family lives

Other members of the Hlongwe family are also participating in the project. Nombali’s sisters hope to, one day, work in the construction industry too.

Nombali said: “My one sister is participating in a supervisory programme and my other sister will start with a foreman training programme. I am hopeful that this project will eliminate the unemployment in the area.”

The Hlongwe family is very hopeful and optimistic that through the construction projects, which SANRAL will roll out, the situation at home will change for the better.

“Nombali working in construction is going to change the situation at home. She can maybe now get me my dream house. These days there are more opportunities for women who want to work in the construction industry,” said Nofezile.

Sandile said he was glad roads were being upgraded.

“As a taxi owner, I am happy that Department of Roads and Public Works is upgrading the R61. For taxi owners, this mean that the roads we travel on will be in a better condition. I am also happy to see that jobs are being created for people in the area where there is so much poverty,” said Sandile.

Young engineers find their way in the Musina Ring Road

15Jun2017

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Zandile-1 — Tshabalala, who comes from Soweto, said she is enjoying the practical training she is receiving.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) does not only build roads – it builds communities and empowers women.

Tshimangadzo Masindi and Zandile Tshabalala, two recipients of bursaries from the Department of Transport, studied civil engineering in the Czech Republic.

The two candidate civil engineers were seconded to SANRAL to gain experience and qualify as engineers.

Gaining experience

They recently started their training at the Musina Ring Road project as assistants to the resident engineer.

Masindi and Tshabalala are required to spend 18 months on site and are currently busy with the construction of five bridges as well as four in-situ culverts on the project.

Tshimangadzo-1 — Masindi looks comfortable working in the field. Her immediate future plans are to work in civil engineering.

Their responsibilities include testing the concrete according to required specifications before it is cast.

After 18 months, they will spend another 18 in Nelson Mandela Bay to do design training. Only upon completion can they apply for accreditation with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

Tshabalala, who comes from Soweto, said she is enjoying the practical training she is receiving.

“My immediate future plans include becoming a qualified engineer. I have always been a fan of property so being here feels like home to me.”

Originally from Thohoyandou, Masindi looks comfortable working in the field. Her immediate future plans are to work in civil engineering.

“With experience, later in life, I would like to see myself as an executive in engineering specialising in structures,” she said.

SANRAL Eastern Region scoops two coveted Fulton Awards

14Jun2017

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Mt-Edgecombe-Interchange---bagged-the-Infrastructure-Award — The Mount Edgecombe Interchange upgrade has changed the landscape forever and is sure to become a well-known landmark in years to come.

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) Eastern Region has dispelled the old saying that “lightning never strikes the same place twice” by bagging two prestigious Fulton Awards conferred by the Concrete Society of Southern Africa.

The N2/M41 Mount Edgecombe interchange under construction at Umhlanga, north of Durban, won the Fulton Award in the main “Civil Engineering Structure greater than R100 million” category given for initiatives where totally new materials, techniques, technologies, applications, designs, and/or concepts, using concrete as the principal material, have been developed or utilised.

And if that accolade is not enough to brag about, SANRAL’s Eastern Region went on to jointly win the Fulton Award in the “Innovation in Concrete” category for the reinforced concrete Van Zyl Spruit Bridge on the N1 freeway between Trompsburg interchange and Fonteintjie in the Free State.

SANRAL Eastern Region also won a Fulton Award in the prestigious category “Civil Engineering Structure greater than R100 million” in 2015 for the uMgeni Interchange project.

Logashri Sewnarain, SANRAL Eastern Region Manager, said the two latest awards were a reflection of the high standard of work on SANRAL projects and the ability to keep up with ever-evolving economic, environmental and aesthetic demands.

“The award for Mount Edgecombe interchange is particularly significant because it shows that despite the many challenges being faced, it is still possible to produce world-class infrastructure.

“The accolades are testimony to the fact that we can hold our own in civil engineering excellence when competing in the national and international arenas and such recognition is much appreciated by everybody involved in the projects.”

The awards

The Fulton Awards began as a tribute to the late Dr Sandy Fulton for his outstanding contribution to the understanding of concrete, its development, and improvement.

Dr Fulton was unquestionably one of the more prominent figures of the international concrete industry with impressive achievements in research contained in 35 published papers. He left a legacy of scientific and technological advances in the construction industry.

The award is made symbolically to the structure and is presented to the entire team responsible for its construction, including the owner/developer, all professionals, and the contractors.

The Mount Edgecombe Interchange upgrade has changed the landscape forever and is sure to become a well-known landmark in years to come.

A concrete testament

The interchange as it stands may be considered a testament to the ability of concrete to deliver infrastructure needs on the largest scale. Constructing one of the longest structures ever built in South Africa over one of the busiest intersections in KwaZulu-Natal successfully, without ever closing any of the roads permanently, bears testimony to the success of the selected construction methods and materials.

The judges’ citation stated: “This project showcases the use of concrete in civil engineering infrastructure in that it encompasses nine new road bridges, one new pedestrian bridge, nine mechanically-stabilised earth walls and three soil nail retaining walls.

“It features three simultaneous incremental launches with a combined deck that exceeds 1.5km, the longest incrementally-launched viaduct in the southern hemisphere, and three incremental launches being constructed simultaneously.

“This is a South African first. It was conducted under difficult conditions having to maintain the requirements of the heavy existing traffic demands within a congested site.”

A first in South Africa

Van-Zyl-Spruit-Bridge---at-90-metres,-it-is-one-of-the-longest-integral-bridges-in-the-world — The design is more complex than a conventional bridge as it involves soil-structure interaction.

The Van Zyl Spruit Bridge is unique in that it is the first long integral bridge in South Africa and, at 90m, one of the longest integral bridges in the world.

The design is more complex than a conventional bridge as it involves soil-structure interaction. The five-span road bridge has a continuous deck consisting of two spline beams, fully integral with the abutments and piers, eliminating the need for bearings and expansion joints. The intermediate supports consist of pairs of reinforced concrete piers, one under each spine of the deck and the same width as the spines. The end supports are full height reinforced concrete integral abutments with integral transition slabs.

In making the award for the Van Zyl Spruit Bridge, the judges’ citation stated: “The innovative use of integral bridges allows savings in materials, no capital cost for bearings and joints, lower maintenance costs, more durability and makes concrete bridges more competitive.

“In addition, the installation of over 500 sensors in the bridge structure which are being logged automatically every 15 minutes to detect and quantify trends in strain, temperature, tilt and earth pressure, makes this one of the first ‘smart’ bridges in the country.

“The data obtained from these sensors will contribute to a better understanding of environmental loading on the performance of integral bridges in South Africa and encourage more widespread use of integral bridges.”

Litter trashing our freeways

14Jun2017

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Litter-1 — Fast food wrappers, boxes and soft drink bottles are typical litter that is collected on a regular basis on national roads.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) is calling on all South Africans to be considerate to the environment and stop littering.

Cleaning up the mess is expensive and time-consuming, and has become an unfortunate part of what SANRAL has to do right across the country.

Mpati Makoa, SANRAL’s environmental manager, said: “It is just astonishing what and how much people just throw out of their vehicle windows, with little regard on the impact it has.”

Who litters most

SANRAL reported that a total of 80 601 litter bags were collected during the 2016/17 financial year in the Eastern Cape alone. These were along the N2, R62, Tsitsikamma Toll Plaza, R58, N19, N20, R390, R391 and the R396.

Around 10 cubic metres of litter is collected per day per team on days that debris and litter is collected. In some areas, collection is done once a month, while in some, it is twice a month. All litter is disposed of at registered local municipal landfill sites at each town along the routes.

There are some strange items that have been picked up by SANRAL’s routine road maintenance staff. These include plastic bags full of used nappies, bottles with urine and animal carcasses among others.

Fast food wrappers, boxes and soft drink bottles are typical litter that is collected on a regular basis on national roads. Loads of household litter in refuse bags is also picked up on the side of the road totalling about 6 to 10 cubic meters in this area of the Eastern Cape.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the experience is not much different. The 138km stretch of road from Umdloti to Empangeni is split into four sections. An emerging sub-contractor is appointed for each section to conduct routine road maintenance and this includes litter-picking.

On this stretch, litter picking is done once a month at the beginning of each month. On average on each of the four sections, 350 bags of litter are picked up at the beginning of each month. On the whole stretch of road, a total of 1 400 bags are picked up monthly.

Looking at major routes in the both the Western and Northern Cape, approximately 22 000 bags of litter are collected on average, on a monthly basis. Where possible, a sizable portion is diverted away from landfill and used for recycling initiatives, particularly glass and plastic.

Makoa said: “Picking up litter is part of routine road maintenance duties. It takes 10 days to complete the litter pick-up exercise. All the bags of litter are loaded onto vehicles and offloaded at registered landfill sites along the routes. The strangest items the teams have picked up vary from a wedding ring to strange toys that are best not mentioned.”

Below are the statistics of waste removed on average in the last year for routes in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West, per cubic meters:

Period	Gauteng	Highveld	S/Kloof Eland	Mbombela	Kanyamazane / Montrose	Moamba	Maputo	Machado – Wonderfontein
Jan 17	68	174	232.5	215	198	148	320.8	85
Feb 17	67	148	286.4	197	210	144.9	310.2	109
Mar 17	78	206.25	291.4	293	200	149.6	306	124
Total	213	528	810.3	705	608	442.5	937	318

Makoa concluded: “If you throw away a piece of litter each day, it can become a veritable mountain of rubbish by the end of the year. Millions of rands are spent just to clean up litter that many people have thoughtlessly tossed out on the streets and other public spaces.

“It also poses a threat to public and ecosystem health as it ends up in water systems and impacting aquatic habitats, clogging our culverts and bridges. This, in turn, increases the frequency and cost of infrastructure maintenance.”

SANRAL plays vital role in developing emerging contractors

13Jun2017

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Concrete-1 — The SMMEs were also taken on short tours of asphalt, bitumen binders and concrete manufacturing plants.

The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has taken a group of SMMEs to learn about the administrative and business functions of the engineering and road construction industry.

The 11 SMMEs enrolled in SANRAL’s community and training development programme for the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR) visited Mamlambo Construction in East London.

Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region Manager, said: “SANRAL continuously provides training and support to SMMEs. We remain committed to promoting economic growth, stimulating the expansion of small and medium-sized businesses, reducing unemployment, and building a skilled workforce.”

The SANRAL programmes are part of the community access road upgrading project for the N2 Wild Coast Highway in Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo District Municipalities.

The SANRAL integrated community development programme has 30 business owners of construction SMMEs and new start-ups (CIDB levels 1 – 3) presently enrolled on SAQA and SETA-accredited training programmes (NQF levels 3 -5) at three SANRAL learning centres in Mbizana, Lusikisiki and Port St. Johns.

The programme will also train an additional 330 individuals with civil engineering skills to help create a local skilled and semi-skilled labour force for the N2WCTR.

What the training entails

As part of their practical training, the business owners will be responsible for the upgrade and construction of community access roads. Upon completion of their theoretical training this year, each SMME will have an opportunity to tender for construction work on the community access roads. These road upgrades are strategic projects linked to the N2WCTR with the aim to improve road safety.

Mamlambo Construction is a SANRAL service provider and currently working on the Lusikisiki Community Development project for SANRAL. The project started in July 2016 and is expected to complete in July 2018.

The training at Mamlambo offices included:

How to form a bank account for a joint venture
CIDB requirements
The importance of registering for VAT
Paying tax, UIF and workman’s compensation
The importance of using a bookkeeper or accountant
Getting the right insurance, and
Paying wages

The SMMEs were also taken on short tours of asphalt, bitumen binders and concrete manufacturing plants.

Craig Shearar, Mamlambo’s CEO, said: “The goal of the day was to upskill, train and mentor emerging contractors. This project is very close to our hearts. We believe we need to be relevant in our community and participate where we can.”

In Lusikisiki, Mamlambo is providing the 11 SMME owners with NQF Level 4 training and their 11 supervisors with NQF Level 2 training on road construction.

Shearar said: “We want the SMMEs to understand there is more to running a business than to just building a road. We want them to see how a business fits together. It is important to expose the SMMEs to as much as possible in our industry for them to know where the products come from.

“It is important for a business owner to know their industry intimately. This way they can grow and become sustainable.”

What the owners thought of the programme

Sipelele Msindwana, co-owner of Nkungu Investments, said that while working on the SANRAL programme they have learned how to manage a business professionally.

“We now know how to follow the law in conducting our business. We’ve recently completed our theoretical training. Thereafter, [we] attended tendering workshops in preparation for contracts that will be awarded. The whole process has been useful, as it turns out we thought we knew a lot but we learned more about the processes that must be followed. This week we set out a 280m road aside for practical training. This road will be incorporated into the actual roads we will work on.”

Wandile Mngeni owner of WM Construction Projects registered his company in 2015 and admits to not knowing about road construction.

“I have learned theoretically a lot about the paper work and calculations needed for the company,” he said.

Lindiwe Nokele, owner of Gandundu Trading, said as an SMME she has grown through the “intensive training” provided.

“Our training focused on SARS, documentation, how to discipline staff and the importance of having a bookkeeper. As an SMME I now know a lot more [on] what to do.”

Siyanda Mredlana owner of Khululaka Trading Enterprise said: “I have learnt a lot from this visit today. It is helpful to know what materials are used to build roads. I believe that the information provided during the training will help me win tenders.”

Andiswa Joyi owner of Eyamanjilo Trading said the site visit to Mamlambo has given her a deeper insight into how a construction business operates.

“This was a valuable part of the training programme. Seeing how everything operates on site, has given me a deeper insight into how business works. I am passionate to become the next big contractor,” Joyi said.

How N2 improvements will affect you

9Jun2017

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The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) continues to improve the safety of all road users with its projects along the N2 between Dutywa and Mthatha.

One such improvement project stretches from the village of Tetyana to Sitebe Komkulu and will take approximately 30 months to complete.

The project includes the construction of a pedestrian bridge and four agricultural underpasses – both of which would provide safer passage for both pedestrians and cattle – the upgrading of numerous intersections and the construction of access roads from villages to formal settlements.

Nearly half of the deaths that occur on South African roads involve pedestrians. Years of road-infrastructure disinvestment, along with the introduction of more road users, has made the former Transkei a high-incident region.

The preliminary festive season report for December 2015 and January 2016 showed that fatalities in the Eastern Cape increased by roughly 22%, from 227 to 278.

Added time on trips

Controlled rock-cutting explosions will widen the road, smooth out the curves and improve sight distance – all major contributors to road safety. Controlled blasting takes place on Tuesday and Thursdays, between Dutywa and Mthatha in the Ntentu cuttings.

The road will be closed for a maximum period of two hours during blasting.

Motorists travelling east, towards Mthatha, may consider either exiting the N2 at Ndabakazi on the R408 towards Ngqamakwe/Tsomo, or via the R409 at Dutywa towards Ngcobo, as alternatives. Both routes link to the R61 and then rejoin the N2 in Mthatha.

Motorists travelling west, towards East London, may consider using the R61 when leaving Mthatha and then linking back to the N2 via either the R408 after Ngcobo or the R409 towards Tsomo.

The alternative route is 60km longer and may add approximately 40 minutes to your trip between East London and Mthatha.

Musina ring road to improve safety

8Jun2017

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The Mayor of the Musina Municipality has sung The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited’s (SANRAL) praises for the Musina Ring Road project.

Mayor Mihloti Muhlope was assessing the project’s progress together with the Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, and the MEC for Transport and Public Safety, Nandi Ndalane.

Muhlope said the project will improve road safety and decrease the damage to vital infrastructure in town.

The R625-million Ring Road project will divert traffic from the CBD towards the border post.

She said the project came as a huge relief to the municipality as traffic was heavily congested in town because heavy-duty vehicles must share the narrow roads with other road users and pedestrians.

“The Ring Road will ease congestion and it will also save travel time for the road users and reduce vehicle operating costs. We are also happy with the fact that the project has played a major role in job creation and business opportunities for the local people,” said Muhlope.

Chikunga said that the country was doing its best to have safe, long-lasting and reliable road facilities.

“We are making sure that our roads provide flexibility, easier mobility and community safety at all times. As government, we are also pleased by the progress and high-quality work of the Musina Ring Road project, and we have no doubt that the contractors will meet their deadline. Community involvement and providing jobs for local people are also very important for us. This is empowerment at its best,” she said.

Baldwin Luvhengo is a previously unemployed general worker who is now benefitting from the project.

“It feels great to work again and now I am able to look after my family and put food on the table. I am saving some money to get a certificate in the construction field when the project is complete,” he said.

SANRAL cameras monitor road safety during severe winter storm

8Jun2017

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control-1 — The Transport Management Centre (TMC) located in Goodwood is the hub of the rapid response to the Cape Town freeway network.

Coordinated action between SANRAL, the Provincial and City road authorities and traffic authorities in the Western Cape is contributing to effective responses to road crashes and the clearing of emergency scenes during the current heavy downpours.

By noon on Wednesday (7 June) its emergency teams had already responded to three multi-vehicle crashes and assisted 13 stranded vehicles during one of the most severe storms ever to hit the Cape Peninsula.

Randall Cable, SANRAL’s Engineering Manager: Operations, said there are 239 CCTV cameras monitoring more than 160km of the busiest freeways around Cape Town. The monitor screens are observed by trained operators on a 24/7 basis and four road maintenance crews are on standby to clean up spots where flooding is detected or crashes occurred.

The Transport Management Centre (TMC) located in Goodwood is the hub of the rapid response to the Cape Town freeway network. Representatives from all regional safety and security services – Cape Town traffic and law enforcement, the Metro Police, Provincial traffic and SAPS – are present at the TMC to monitor the electronic images and activate their respective responses where required.

“All emergency services have real-time access to all SANRAL’s technology,” said Cable. “This results in effective communication, the sharing of resource and quicker responses to incidents on the roads.”

In the first 18 hours after the storm arrived in Cape Town the SANRAL system have observed and managed the following incidents:

Three multi-vehicle crashes – at Mew Way, N2/Jan Smuts and M5 North;
13 vehicles that got stuck on the road during the downpour;
A fallen tree on the N1 outbound near the toll plaza; and
Flooding on the N2 outbound near Robert Sobukwe Road in Bonteheuwel.

Cable said SANRAL has 10 weather stations on the national road network in Cape Town. These stations provide accurate measurements for temperature, wind speeds, wind direction and overall visibility.

This information is relayed back to the road user through variable message signs on the freeways, social media and the I-Traffic website. Safety and security services are also given advance warnings about possible severe weather that may have an impact on safe road conditions.

Road users are advised to consult the i-traffic website at https://www.i-traffic.co.za/.