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Alternative options across the ‘Berg to be considered
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) is investigating alternative options to increase the capacity of the N3 route across the Drakensberg following the decision by government to scrap the proposed De Beers Pass project.
The 614km long N3 is the primary road from Johannesburg, through the Free State and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to Durban. The toll road is managed by the N3 Toll Concession.
The N3 is an important road freight corridor and, despite efforts to move large volumes of freight to rail, expectations are that at least 60% of movement between Gauteng and Durban will still remain on the road network.
Vusi Mona, spokesperson of SANRAL, said: “We have to plan pro-actively for the expected growth in road traffic volumes between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and to find workable solutions that will provide road users with safe, comfortable and congestion-free journeys.”
The De Beers Pass project has been cancelled by government and will not be implemented in terms of the concession agreement.
However, SANRAL has been asked to investigate an alternative option along the existing N3 which would address the safety and mobility issues.
Mona said: “We have started to conduct detailed investigations and the costing of an alternative option and the findings of our study will be presented to the Minister of Transport.”
Government will then consider all the engineering and financial considerations before taking a decision on how to proceed with the project.
The existing Van Reenen’s Pass Route was built in 1961 and is no longer able to effectively handle the growth in traffic volumes. SANRAL has, through the years, added many safety features to the road but is still concerned about the number of crashes on the road and the inconvenience caused for road users through sporadic road closures.
New developments will have to address current safety issues related to the alignment of the current road through Van Reenen’s Pass including the steep gradients, sharp curves and bottle necks that will require extensive engineering solutions.
Mona said: “Decisions on funding will be taken once an alternative route has been finalised. SANRAL will continue to communicate with all stakeholders, including provincial governments, local councils, communities and road users as decisions are taken and the project unfolds.”
SANRAL Southern Region appoints first research associate
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) has appointed its first research associate at its Southern Region.
Keith Nare is a doctoral candidate who also volunteers as a maths and science and homework club mentor.
Nare, a PhD candidate at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) is pursuing his doctorate in physical and polymer chemistry and has been appointed the research associate at SANRAL’s materials lab in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.
His relationship with SANRAL in 2016 while still working as a visiting student at the SANRAL Training Academy for Candidate Engineers. He officially joined the lab on 10 January 2017.
Education is his life
Education plays a very important role in Nare’s life as he volunteers with Masifunde Learner Development at Walmer High School in Walmer in Port Elizabeth.
He said: “I am a homework club mentor as well as a Mathematics and Science tutor. Honestly I love teaching, it is a response to an outer call from within to give back to the community especially where there is need for me. It brings joy to see other young people grow and get to realise that their birthplace shouldn’t determine their future.
“The future of the country is in the hands of the youth and how far they are willing to spread the ripple effect of extended responsibility for community development in the spirit of Ubuntu.”
Nare encourages high school learners and other tertiary students to continue studying.
He said: “Perseverance, humility and the willingness to go the extra mile will make a big difference. I encourage them to get mentors that can help them grow. Always remember that it takes a village to raise a child, so everyone in your path is important. You must be willing to learn and grow for it is in those lessons that you become a better you.”
When he has free time he enjoys playing tennis and go on nature walks.
Getting the research position
He became aware of the research associate position during his interactions with SANRAL and Labco (Labco is the tendered and appointed laboratory service provider for the SANRAL Training Academy in Port Elizabeth) while still working on his MSc.
Nare said: “SANRAL and Labco helped me with other tests I couldn’t do at the University. The whole idea was to partner with SANRAL in fostering an industry-academia partnership to address the current challenges faced by industry in understanding the intricate details to the chemistry behind polymer modified bitumen though emphasis for me was crumb rubber modified bitumen.”
Sean Strydom, SANRAL Southern Region materials specialist explained that Nare’s position at SANRAL involves Rheological testing which is a highly specialised testing using high end testing equipment of which there is only a handful of in the country.
Strydom said: “The training of the persons who operate the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) and Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) is done by the international suppliers of the equipment. We were lucky that Keith during his studies had already received in depth training in the use of the testing equipment.
“The test data Keith is generating will assist us in ensuring our new Performance Specification of bitumen is best suited to South African road conditions. The data is being generated by testing bitumen samples from SANRAL’s construction sites from across the entire Eastern Cape.”
Linking academia and industry
Nare’s role at the lab is a link between academia and industry with responsibilities spanning from internal research on bituminous binders emphasis on implementation of the South African Performance Grade Bitumen Specifications, taking responsibility for the performing and monitoring of tests and ensuring time frames are adhered to, presentation on findings mostly at workshops and conferences, present training and guidance to technicians and graduate engineers, ensure the equipment used has been maintained, verified and calibrated and propose improvements where necessary.
Nare has a BSc (Biochemistry and Chemistry), Bsc Honors (Chemistry), MSc (Physical and Polymer Chemistry) all from the Nelson Mandela University (NMU).
He said: “In my MSc and as part of the Centre for Rubber Science and Technology at the NMU I was focusing on the Formulation Development and Theromorheological Properties of CrumbRubber/EVA modified bitumen. It involved combination of rubber crumbs from used tyres and plastomer EVA in bitumen to come up with an optimised blend for application as road materials.
“I also focused on the energy-sustainability nexus of use of Fischer-Tropsch wax as a warm mix additive in the optimised blends. Another area of interest in the study was investigating the use of antioxidants hydrated lime, carbon black, Irganox 1010, Irgafos 168 to improve the short term aging behaviour of 70/100 bitumen. Finally I looked at the costing implications of each section of work to come up with summative view of different areas of research based on the current trends in costing in the industry as a whole.”
Nare’s roots
Nare hails from Rusape, a very small town on the Eastern side of Zimbabwe and has been living in Port Elizabeth since 2011. He is the eldest of four brothers and the first in his family to study in the field of civil engineering. His second oldest brother studies at university, the second youngest is in Grade 12 and the youngest brother is a Grade 8 pupil.
He has always had to be the leading example in every aspect which is good pressure and motivation at the same time.
Nare said: “I love South Africa it offers me an opportunity for growth, career development and my roots from my father’s side are here.”
Apart from having goals to feed into the pool of knowledge in South Africa and as a scholar learn from the gurus of the industry partnering with industry players to solve the current problems faced in the roads industry by improving road materials product development based on need in the vast areas of the country, he also has a keen interest in improving solid waste management and increasing awareness on recycling in different waste streams.
“I love to work for SANRAL – it is very empowering to be in the company with mentors that are always willing to help and groom upcoming young people. I also want to be an ambassador for education and empowering youth to see you beyond their current situations,” he said.
Nare did not always consider a career in civil engineering. When he was a child he wanted to be a lawyer but then he enjoyed environmental sciences and solid waste management and ended up in Chemistry.
He said: “It was during the Research Proposal part of my MSc that I decided to merge the Chemistry and the Civil Engineering. Honestly what came to mind was recycling of used tyres and where they could be utilized more without being taken to the land fill.
“Among other technologies was use of rubber crumbs to improve the thermorheological behaviour of bitumen so that was my grand entry into Civil Engineering and I must say I love it and am willing to grow as it is a very interesting field with so much areas of growth especially from a sustainability point of view.”
Nare said SANRAL does amazing work and names the Uitenhage Industrial Zone slope stabilization project as an example of the magnitude of projects delivered by the agency.
Notable issues raised in the state of the province
The ultimate solution of the issue of e-tolling on the inner Gauteng highway network can only come from the national level. Initiatives such as the establishment of an advisory panel have not led to the resolution of concerns of Gauteng motorists regarding affordability, said Premier David Makhura in his State of the Province address in February. He said there will be no e-tolls on the province’s new roads.
Notable issues raised in the state of the province addresses in Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo:
- In Mpumalanga, Premier David Mabuza said that the reconstruction of 16 provincial road projects totalling 284km was completed.
- In North West, Premier Supra Mahumapelo is raising the issue of toll fees on the Platinum Highway, including those at the Swartruggens Plaza, and said that public-private partnerships are being explored.
- In Limpopo, Premier Chupu Mathabatha said that over the next three years the provincial road agency will upgrade some 296km of gravel roads to asphalt.
In the state of the province addresses in the Western and Northern Cape roads received scant attention:
- Premier Helen Zille of the Western Cape said that major new housing developments will add pressure to transport infrastructure. Top of the list is the upgrading of informal settlements along the N2 near Cape Town International Airport, known as the Southern Corridor. Work has started in Forest Village and Ithemba and will expand into Gugulethu, Nyanga and Philippi in 2018.
- Premier Sylvia Lucas of the Northern Cape said that the main economic drivers are foreign investment in mining and energy. Inadequate road infrastructure will be addressed through the upgrading and resealing of some roads, mainly in the more rural areas.
In the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal state of the province addresses there were little references to roads:
- Premier Ace Magashule of the Free State stressed the need for building and upgrading of infrastructure. This not only improves access but creates jobs and transforms the economic landscape. He did point to the completion of some roads and noted new road works.
- Premier Willies Mchunu of KwaZulu-Natal pointed to the growth of the Dube Trade Port as a key to the economic growth in the province and noted that a feasibility study on the establishment of an oil and gas hub at Richards Bay will be completed later this year.
Trump’s toll plan a fit for South Africa
US President Donald Trump made a point in his inauguration speech to emphasise his election pledge to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure investment over ten years. He has repeatedly promised to “rebuild highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools and hospitals”.
In his inauguration address, the Republican president said the nation’s infrastructure “has fallen into disrepair and decay”.
Those words could just as easily have been applied to South Africa’s infrastructure – and that of many other countries. South Africa is not alone in facing an infrastructure backlog. Rapid wealth accumulation and assets such as cars, as well as a far more mobile population in many countries, means their infrastructure is as inadequate as ours.
Corporate South Africa is flush at the moment, sitting on more than R725bn balance-sheet cash. It is obvious that South Africa Inc is on a long-term investment strike – at home, at least.
It is evident that business will be prepared to invest in the local economy where incentives are in place to overcome other concerns. We already have templates of successful Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) in several sectors of the economy. In the renewable energy and toll road sectors, regulations exist.
Car manufacturing companies also invest due to well thought-out policy and predictable incentive packages. These examples create many jobs and stimulate the economy at negligible cost to the government. It needs to be rolled out to many more sectors, starting with accelerated toll road building.
The American president has agreed to a policy that provides tax credits or tolls on new roads. The US plan in its current rough form would seek to incentivise the private sector to increase investment in infrastructure projects on the basis of tax credits and future usage fees, such as road tolls. As a result, US governors have already flagged 300 high-priority projects that are ready to proceed “today”.
To kickstart South Africa’s own infrastructure roll-out would simply require a change of heart by government as to the level of private participation. For instance, Trump’s policy aims to essentially sidestep political squabbles by focusing mostly on private investment. Here is a policy choice that South Africa could immediately follow for quick results.
Trump is not the only leader looking to stimulate infrastructure development through the private sector: Germany, India and Chile are also looking at private sector participation in their road systems. Tolls generate sufficient cash flow to develop the infrastructure more efficiently.
Graeme Blewitt is the CEO of Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire
Premier welcomes Wild Coast Road
The Eastern Cape provincial government is fully behind the N2 Wild Coast highway project. This was confirmed in Premier Phumulo Masualle’s State of the Province address in February. He said plans would move ahead for the development of the road from East London to the KwaZulu-Natal border.
Contractors will be on site in the first quarter of the 2017/18 financial year, following the allocation of tenders by SANRAL.
The project forms part of the Strategic Integrated Projects in the Eastern Cape. It will include the construction of two mega-bridges over the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers, seven additional bridges and three interchanges.
Contracts for the haul roads for the mega-bridges have been awarded – some R63m for the Msikaba bridge and the same amount for the Mtentu bridge.
Premier Masualle also referred to other national road projects that involve SANRAL:
- The resurfacing of the Nkantolo Road, which leads to the birthplace of struggle leader OR Tambo
- The construction of the R61 from the Mthamvuna River to Mbizana
- The R72 from East London to Port Alfred
- Sections of the N2 between East London, Peddie, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth
As is the case with all SANRAL projects, SMMEs, particularly black-owned businesses, and local labour will be used as far as is possible, resulting in a significant injection into the local economy.
To make the process inclusive and transparent, a steering committee is established for each contract, comprising representatives of the local community and leaders, to identify labour to be interviewed for potential employment.
On the greenfields section of the Wild Coast Road, it is expected that R450m will be paid over four years to locally employed labour. This excludes indirect employment generated by suppliers.
Major South African and international construction firms are among the bidders for the mega-bridges. Because of the nature of these bridges, it is possible that a limited number of international experts will be employed on these two projects.
[Fact box] This will in no way affect the employment of local labour and South African construction professionals, but it will inject vital expertise, necessary for the completion of these two unusual and massive projects.
Treasury increases SANRAL’s budget allocation
Construction of the new 380m bridge.
There was a significant increase in SANRAL’s allocation from the national budget, which was presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in February – up from just over R13bn to R15.4bn.
SANRAL CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma said this would greatly increase the agency’s capacity to improve the existing non-toll network. The majority of these roads are beyond their design-life of 25 years.
It will also enable much-needed improvements on the roads that were recently incorporated into the national network from provinces. The budget will further increase by another R2bn, to R18bn, by 2019/20.
Toll roads will continue to be financed through borrowings in the capital market and recoveries through toll fees. The latter is expected to grow moderately, from R5.3bn to R6.1bn, over the medium term.
Two successful bond auctions in the second half of 2016/17 demonstrated that investor confidence in SANRAL had returned.
Minister Gordhan stressed that state-owned enterprises should not depend only directly on the budget for revenue. Hence, SANRAL is formulating an integrated funding model to enhance its financial position.
While the agency is mandated to deliver a world-class national road network, it also has to support the government’s economic transformation priorities.
SANRAL is already active in this regard. It engages small contractors, particularly black-owned SMMEs, on business opportunities when roads are constructed, repaired or maintained. It achieves this through its procurement policies and its ability to direct its spending toward emerging enterprises.
This will be significantly boosted by the application of the new Preferential Procurement Policy (PPFA) Act, from 1 April, which will enable more targeted procurement. SANRAL will take this further over the medium term through the implementation of a new transformation policy that is being developed.
The agency supports the drive by the Gauteng provincial government to extend the Gautrain. The future of mobility in the province lies in intermodal transport infrastructure that underpins integrated public transport services which is prioritised over private car use.
SANRAL will engage with the province to assist in its aim to improve commuting for current public transport users, while over time, encouraging a shift from private cars to public transport.
SANRAL wins award for its Freeway Management System
In its quest to make roads safer and more efficient, the roads agency’s efforts were recognised at a ceremony of the Intelligent Transport Society of South Africa Awards (ITSSA), held at the Sandton Convention Centre recently.
The South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) won the ITSSA Award for Excellence for its Intelligent Transport System (ITS) project.
While SANRAL received the ITSSA Award for Excellence for the Freeway Management System (FMS) in the Western Cape, the submission was also judged for the larger FMS project, which extends to Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, and its significant positive impact on the motoring public by relaying real-time information on the flow of traffic.
Receiving the award, SANRAL’s Eastern Region ITS Project Manager, Kersen Naidoo, said: “It is a great honour to receive this award on behalf of SANRAL.
“Our team of engineers can be proud of the world-class system they have developed and continue to maintain. This is a great example of how infrastructure improves the quality of life of commuters and sustains the economy of the country.”
The conference and exhibition
The awards took place during the i-Transport and UATP Conference and Exhibition. It has become a well-established event on the transport calendar, a platform for knowledge sharing in the quest to promote the sustainable deployment of ITS projects.
This year’s theme: “Future of Public Transport: Go Green – Go Smart” reflected the need to improve transport efficiencies, to reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector and to encourage modal shifts. The theme specifically reflects the strong synergy between public transport operations and Intelligent Transport Systems.
Musina Ring Road on track for completion
One year after construction started on the Musina Ring, north of Limpopo, it is on schedule to be completed on time, unless weather conditions prevent the completion.
Climate conditions is the only factor standing in the way of the road’s completion within the next 18 months
The R625-million project by the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited (SANRAL) will divert traffic from the Beit Bridge Border away from Musina CBD and result in major improvements in road safety and less damage to vital infrastructure within the town.
Ben Botes, resident engineer on the project, said trucks travelling to and from Beit Bridge are causing major damage to the road infrastructure in town.
Traffic is heavily congested as heavy-duty vehicles share the narrow roads with other road users and pedestrians. Heavy traffic passing through the Musina CBD poses a danger to pedestrians and the local business community have raised concerns about access to their premises.
Botes said: “The Ring Road will ease congestion and reduce the dust blown up by traffic which creates health problems among residents, it will also save travel time to the road users and reduce vehicle operating costs.”
Job creation and business opportunities
Local residents will benefit through the project in the form of job and business opportunities.
The project includes the building of nine big structures, five bridges and four in-situ culverts. Local sub-contractors are involved in the construction of these structures.
Owen Simba, site manager at Makali Construction said: “We are busy constructing the nine structures required for the road construction, the bridges and the culverts at an investment of R114-million.
“We have employed 12 skilled labourers as well as 23 local general workers and as the project progresses we will start hiring more people.”
SANRAL is committed to creating equitable access for small contractors, particularly black-owned enterprises through its procurement processes.
Baldwin Luvhengo, a previously unemployed general worker who is now benefitting from the project, said: “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.”
Community liaised with properly
The 8km project runs through the Nancefield community which necessitated the relocation of 30 households. SANRAL sent a consultant to each household to negotiate the relocations.
“It was agreed that they will receive the same size structure they had in Nancefield. The community is happy with this arrangement and are looking forward to the move,” said Petrus Mbedzi, the project liaison officer.
Botes said the project also consists of a barrier wall that will minimise noise levels for the households living next to the road.
He said: “I am confident that road users and the residents will soon start to enjoy the benefits of a newly constructed Musina Ring Road.”