Blog - Page 168 of 175 - SANRAL Stop Over

SANRAL’s Commitment to the Free State

11Aug2015

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SANRAL does not only build some of the best roads in the world, it is proud of its long-standing tradition of doing so much more – education, skills transfer, assisting SMMEs, investing in communities and road safety.

Education

SANRAL’s close partnership with the University of the Free State sees a new chair in science, mathematics and technology education as SANRAL contributed R30 million over five years to the project.

This is in addition to its long-standing joint initiative with the university to boost science and mathematics amongst school learners as well as its scholarship programme which was launched in 2008.

Growing Businesses

When SANRAL constructs new roads and maintains existing ones, communities along these roads are engaged and given a leg-up.

SMMEs are contracted to do some of the work to boost their knowledge and abilities and thus create employment.

The workers are educated so that skills are left behind when the construction work has been completed and finding a new job will be easier.

Road Infrastructure

SANRAL’s primary responsibilities lie with the roads that fall under its jurisdiction. SANRAL is particularly committed to the Free State and can be seen by the 28 projects the road agency is involved in, which are at various stages of development.

The agency is upgrading and building some roads, while it is also doing periodic maintenance, building new interchanges and pedestrian facilities and improving a traffic control centre.

Fundamentally, SANRAL stands for excellent roads and meaningful community engagement and SANRAL’s presence in the Free State is a prime example of this.

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

SANRAL not only builds roads but businesses too

11Aug2015

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SANRAL aims to always use SMMEs to help them grow their business and transfer skills to help the business flourish after their contracts with the road agencies end.

One such SMME is Vukuzenzele Trading Corporation which specialises in Routine Road Maintenance (RRM) projects.

“Our primary responsibility is to maintain and repair roads. The standard of roads that SANRAL aspires to is very high and so as subcontractors, we need to ensure we continuously deliver according to specifications”

At the outset, Vukuzenzele did not own any equipment but now, thanks to SANRAL, the business has its own, which has helped to reduce the cost of hiring equipment dramatically.

SANRAL’s Coaching Guiding and Mentoring (CGM) system of implementation made it possible for Vukuzenzele to access skilled people to assist with executing project work effectively whilst also ensuring that the overall objectives are met.

“The CGM system allows for the subcontractor to work under the guidance of a main contractor in all of its activities including admin related tasks. You are groomed to be in control of your business”

Johnny Mofokeng, owner of Vukuzenzele, commends SANRAL for the outstanding work it is doing on South Africa’s roads and thanked the agency for the opportunity to be part of projects that are enhancing road safety and improving the lives of communities and people.

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

Saving Leopards along the N4

11Aug2015

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The Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire embarked on a joint research project in 2014 with the North West Province Department of Environment, Economic Development, Conservation & Tourism to track the movements of leopards in the Magaliesberg.

Four leopards were rescued from a game farm and three were subsequently released.

Bakwena sponsored a two tracking collar that were attached to female leopards in 2014 and they were released. These collars aid in gathering useful information for the conservation and the GPS data and camera footage is constantly analyzed to improve management plans for leopards.

A further achievement is that a total ban on hunting leopards in the Magaliesberg area has been enforced, and this is to ensure sufficient breeding takes place in the Magaliesberg mountains – a stronghold for this species.
Bakwena is responsible for the N4, from Pretoria right to the Botswana border.

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

Reconstructing the R37 for a safer road

11Aug2015

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The bad road conditions that have plagued the R37 will soon be a thing of the past. SANRAL is currently undertaking a major makeover of the road, which connects Polokwane with Nelspruit via Burgersfort and Lydenburg.

SANRAL appointed G4 Civils/Jodan Construction Joint Venture for the reconstruction of the R37 and reconstruction started in March 2014.

The project is approximately 80% finished and will be ready by December this year.

The upgrades include:

– Partial reconstruction of the road pavement

– The widening of the traffic lanes and shoulders of the road

– The provision of new surfacing over a distance of some 36km

– A number of safety improvements will be implemented as well

Project Manager, Hannes van der Merwe, stated that a number of job opportunities were created during the reconstruction and the local communities from Burgersfort and Lydenburg benefitted from this project.

“The community further benefitted through skills training and development during the construction.”

The reconstruction of the road is said to come at a price, both financially and in terms of travel time delays. SANRAL strongly appeals to the public to be patient and continue obeying the rules of the road during reconstruction.

“We are all looking forward to the successful completion of the R37 road between Burgersfort and Lydenburg”

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

Why it is important to understand road funding

11Aug2015

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SANRAL roads are funded in three ways – an annual budget allocation from the Treasury, public-private partnerships and the issuance of bonds and loans.

It is important to note that there is not enough money in the national budget alone to fund all the building, upgrading and maintaining of the national road network.

The budget allocation for this year is R12.5 billion and goes to the 85% of SANRAL roads, which are not tolled. The other 15% are tolled roads which are run by concessionaires or, as is the case on the inner Gauteng highways, through e-tolling.

Cross-subsidisation is not allowed so the toll roads have to be self-funding, thus the issuance of bonds and loans. The revenue thus generated then services these roads.

SANRAL sells bonds at monthly auctions to raise funds for toll roads only. Funding provided by Treasury is insufficient and ring-fenced for non-toll roads. The funds are required to cover all costs for operations, maintenance of roads as well the repayment of debt and interest thereon.

But what is bond auctioning?

Basically, a bond auction is where individuals or companies (called investors) buy your debt by bidding a price on how much (volume) they will lend to you.

SANRAL re-entered the bond market after a two-and-a-half year absence, with a highly successful bond auction that was held in April 2014, after it had decided to suspend them in September 2011 when that bond auction failed.

The bond with the longest maturity is the HWAY35, which matures in 2035. It last went to the bond market in February 2015 and will resume doing so now that changes to the e-toll system have been finalised.

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

COSAT Lunch 2015 honours all 90 SANRAL scholars

11Aug2015

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The Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT) model of school represents a ‘pocket of excellence’ which should be replicated in disadvantaged communities throughout South Africa. The school was established in 1999 in order to bridge the gap in maths and science studies amongst pupils from disadvantaged communities who would otherwise have not been able to do well in maths and science.

SANRAL is proudly one of the main sponsors of COSAT learners. Ninety learners at COSAT are beneficiaries of the SANRAL Scholarship Programme. As part of the scholarship, the agency is responsible for the learners’ school fees, books and stationery as well as school and sport uniforms.

The first matric class in 2001 set the precedent for the future with a 100% pass rate, an exemption rate of close to 70% and an impressive number of subject distinctions.

This year, the COSAT luncheon organised by SANRAL, honoured all ninety winning learners from the school in Khayalitsha. Guest speakers from around the country came to inspire and motivate the learners and after formal procedures, the learners enjoyed a full three course meal.

Professor Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State and foremost educationist in South Africa, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon and had a lot of inspirational advise for the learners to pocket.

Jansen said he believed the major factors that made COSAT so successful were dedication, expertise, passion and a will to succeed, what-ever the odds.

“If schools do not work, our country will not work”

SANRAL CEO, Mr Nazir Alli, also attended and gave a brief word before introducing Jansen.

“It is fulfilling to see our investment in basic education paying off. We are proud of the achievements of our COSAT learners thus far and of all the learners on our scholarship programme who have done well.

SANRAL is committed to playing its role in addressing the skills shortage in our country. We look forward to seeing the learners excel in their chosen fields of tertiary studies. Among them are a number who will be studying engineering next year and will benefit from our bursary programme.

We look forward to further supporting them through our internship programme and ultimately welcoming them to the engineering field.”

Traffic flow eases up on the R24

6Aug2015

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The R24 is the arterial road that links Rustenburg and other towns and provides access to the N4, Rustenburg’s industrial area as well as various small holdings next to the road – and it is now part of SANRAL’s network. This means that the road is undergoing upgrades and expansions.

The R24 is currently a single-lane road and SANRAL wishes to upgrade the road to a double-lane carriageway in order to cater for the increased traffic volumes as a result of numerous developments taking place in Rustenburg and surrounding areas.

“The increased capacity will reduce heavy congestion during peak hours that is currently being experienced on the road and also on feeder roads as a result of the lack of capacity on the R24,” – Hennie Kotze, SANRAL’s Senior Project Engineer

Rustenburg has experienced significant development and expansion in recent years due to mining activities. Major developments occurred along the R24 which have changed the road’s status to an urban arterial.

These upgrades are done in part to create improved accessibility to adjacent properties, businesses and the potential for further development on vacant land, which will have a major impact on economic growth in the area.

Upgrades will include:
• Single to double lane carriageway
• Construction of new road works
• Construction of new structures and road lighting
• Construction of new road lighting
• Rehabilitation of the existing road

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

SANRAL gives back in Heuningvlei

5Aug2015

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On Monday, the 3rd of August, SANRAL donated learning materials to BaGa-lotlhare High School in Heuningvlei. The handover was officiated by Deputy Director General of Transport, Mr Chris Hlabisa.

The learning materials were donated by staff of SANRALs Western Region and Consulting Engineering Companies at their annual IMBIZO.

Mr Hlabisa welcomed the initiative of SANRAL in supporting learners in their foundation years and Mr Kobus van der Walt, SANRAL’s Western Regional Manager, spoke at the event to confirm that SANRAL has to date, granted bursaries at a cost of R11 m to 105 students and awarded scholarships to 172 learners to the value of about R2.3 m.

“Its intention is to demystify mathematics and science for learners in the early school years by raising their levels of understanding and changing their attitudes towards the subjects. This is done through integrating Family Math & Family Science activities into classrooms on a regular basis and adding them into the curriculum”

The danger of Moloto road will soon be over as SANRAL takes over

31Jul2015

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Moloto road runs north-eastwards from Pretoria, traverses three provinces and ends at the N11 near Marble Hall – but what makes this road so talked about is that it is one of South Africa’s most dangerous roads that has seen seventy deaths in the last two years.

SANRAL has now been advised to take-over this route, which means that there will be upgrades to the agency’s world-class standards, making the route a whole lot safer.

Upgrading will include, amongst others, improvements to bus bays, storm water drainage, passing and climbing lanes where necessary, the addition of a lane in both directions, the closure of unsafe and illegal accesses and improved sight distances.

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The road is used by 60 000 commuters daily and SANRAL’s intervention is a priority to save lives and make life easier for commuters, connect nearby rural villages to such an important artery and improve the economies of the regions.

The government has set aside R1.1 billion in the Budget for this project and will spread over the space of three years. Part of the project is the improvement of R573, which will not be tolled.

“I have in writing informed the Premiers of Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga that it will be part of a network of roads under SANRAL that is not tolled,” Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay

The N7 gets a makeover

29Jul2015

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The N7 is a major economic artery that connects the Western Cape with the Northern Cape along the west coast. SANRAL is in the process of upgrading vast stretches of this major economic artery.

Derek Wilson is one of several project managers overseeing the improvement and construction projects. He is in charge of the section between Citrusdal and Cederberg – a distance of almost 27km. The total investment is about R450 million.

“The improvement of this part of the N7, which was originally constructed around 1957, was long overdue due to the increased volume of traffic and poor condition of the road surface.”

This section alone carries 3 000 vehicles per day, 20% of these being heavy vehicles transporting good between South Africa and Namibia.

Work on the project started in May 2012 and is expected to be completed by the end of next month.

The scope of the work includes widening the road from 7.4m to 12.4m and the provision of climbing lanes at various points along this very hilly route to provide safe passing opportunities on steep sections.

One of the challenges that contractors and SANRAL have faced during the time of reconstruction was to adhere to all environmental laws and regulations. For instance, they needed to identify and protect all endangered plant species along the route.

“Before any construction took place, the environmentalists had to carry out a ‘search and rescue’ operation on the fauna and flora.”

The road construction has had a positive impact on the communities along the N7. While the number of temporary jobs varies from month to month, there are currently 252 labourers from surrounding towns working on the project.

For more stories like these, find our By The Way publications here: http://bit.ly/1fB3Lay