Blog - Page 171 of 196 - SANRAL Stop Over

Gordhan gives nod to tolling

7Nov2016

SANRALauthor3322views0comments

SANRAL welcomed the measured Medium Term Budget Policy Statement tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, on 26 October.

“In these tough economic times, it was heartening to see government’s unequivocal commitment to infrastructure spending, support for a number of SANRAL projects and most importantly the principle of tolling,” said Dumisani Maluleke, Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the roads agency.

Although public attention was strongly focused on government’s response to the crisis in higher education the two recurring themes in both the Budget speech and Medium Term statement – MTBPS – were reductions in public sector spending and increased investment in physical infrastructure, including roads.

Maluleke said: “This framework is of significant importance to SANRAL because it demonstrates government’s commitment to infrastructure investment in general – and roads in particular – and offers advance indications of long-term shifts in expenditure or revenue patterns that might be in the pipeline.”

The Budget statement lists six issues which are causing “rising spending pressures” across the public finances. These range from the public sector wage bill and rising costs of health care to the depreciation of the exchange rate. However, it also singles out the issue of funding of South Africa’s road infrastructure.

Congestion is growing on the national road network and the condition of many provincial roads is deteriorating, but there is uncertainty about the funding model for expansion and maintenance.

Minister Gordhan listed two primary SANRAL projects as examples of investment in economic infrastructure in line with the National Development Plan, namely the Moloto Road upgrade and the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road.

Funding for the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road – including the envisaged nine bridges – will be from the Budget, and importantly, “the road upgrades will be tolled.”

With this statement the principle of the user-pays or tolling, to fund major road infrastructure projects, has been endorsed at the highest level.

SANRAL the bridge to skill development

4Nov2016

SANRALauthor2977views0comments

bridges-1 — (From Left – Right) Ntandokazi Baxana (Ethembeni Enrichment Centre), Lusanda April (Woolhope High School), Enzokuhle Ziyekile (Solomon Mahlangu High School) and Solomzi Sokupa (Woolhope High School) busy with finishing touches to their warren truss bridge.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) is developing new talent that will take South Africa to new heights when they hosted a model bridge building competition for high school learners in the Eastern Cape.

Skills development is an important pillar in South Africa’s National Development Plan or Vision 2030 as it will ensure a capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path.

SANRAL along with Unity in Africa iGEMs and SMEC South Africa hosted a model bridge building competition in Struandale, New Brighton.

Thirty scholars from 18 high schools around Nelson Mandela Bay attended the competition and all they had to their use was pine wood, tubes of glue and some string to make their models.

The bridges were judged according to aesthetics and the weight the bridge was able to withhold before it collapsed. The aim of the competition was to teach the learners about the basic principles of infrastructure engineering.

The competition, which started two years ago, is based on The South African Institution of Civil Engineering’s (SAICE) Bridge Building Competition.

Laurene Booth-Jones, programme co-ordinator, said: “Our first intake saw 16 students register on the programme and our second intake saw double the number. Our ‘education to employment’ programme offers students a practical understanding of the theory through learnerships at one of our partner companies. Learners who are passionate about engineering are our passion.”

The first phase of the programme is Grade 11 and 12 extra classes. During phase two all the learners attend learnerships at one of our member companies. In phase three the student gets enrolled in university. The students get the opportunity to go back and work in one of the member companies in phase four.

Sean Strydom, SANRAL’s Southern Region construction materials and project manager, said: “There is a need for employable, professional, well-trained engineers. iGEMs allows the learners that go through the programme to walk away with lifelong knowledge and experience.

“A Cape Town version of the programme (Go for Gold) has seen one of the program graduates receive a bursary from SANRAL. SANRAL supports youth development and we understand the need for it. We are pleased we were afforded the opportunity to host such a programme of stature here at the SANRAL Materials lab.”

Tronél Candiotes-Strydom, professional technologist (Roads and Highways) at SMEC South Africa, also played a vital role in organising the bridge building competition.

Strydom said: “We are passionate about learners who are currently disadvantaged. We want to give these learners an opportunity to uplift themselves so that they have a shot at a better future. We just want to make the world a better place, and we are glad we had the opportunity to influence the lives of these learners in a positive way.”

SANRAL and its university partnerships

3Nov2016

SANRALauthor2538views0comments

UCT-1 — A skilled and capable workforce will support an inclusive growth path according to South Africa’s Vision 2030.

SANRAL is dedicated to providing skills development to the future workforce of South Africa and has therefore partnered with various academic institutions to achieve this.

SANRAL has partnered with Wits University, University of the Free State (UFS), as well as Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

South Africa’s National Development Plan, or Vision 2030, insists skills development will provide a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path.

Wits University Targeting Talent Programme

SANRAL funded 49 of the 797 learners who participated in the developmental Targeting Talent Programme (TTP) at Wits University in 2015. A key objective of TTP is to facilitate a smooth transition to higher education for promising learners.

During 2015, there was a Mathematics and Science Supplementation Session in March and April and 43 of the SANRAL-funded TTP learners attended. In addition, Wits University hosted a Residential Academic Enrichment Camp in June and July. It catered for 900 learners in grades 10, 11 and 12 and was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, SANRAL, Beyond Petroleum South African Education Foundation Trust (BPSA EFT) and the Industrial Development Corporation.

In 2015, information was gathered on the current activities of a group of 140 young people who had been funded by SANRAL and BPSA EFT to participate in TTP in 2012. This revealed that 92.9% of the group had gone on to higher education. In addition, it showed that:

Wits University was the institution most often selected 36.9% of the students studying there. The University of Limpopo and University of Johannesburg were attended by 13.8% and 13.1% of the group respectively.
A large majority of the former TTP participants opted for science and maths-based degrees.
About half the group, 47.7% to be exact, had advanced to their third year of study in the minimum time possible. About 42% were in their second year of study, which could indicate either a gap in studies or a need to repeat a number of subjects.

Science-for-the-Future at University of the Free State

During 2015, SANRAL signed a three-year partnership agreement with the UFS to continue supporting its Science-for-the-Future programme. This comprises two distinct elements:

An ICT Laboratory Programme that delivers e-education in science and maths to high school learners with a talent and passion for these subjects.
The Family Math and Science Programme which equips educators to deliver activity-based sessions on maths and science for young learners and their families, in order to demystify these subjects and build the interest and confidence required to succeed at them.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Pipeline Project

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Pipeline Project (STEM PP) project aims to develop the skills of grade 10-12 learners in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage schools. The goal is to increase the number of learners who qualify to study for a degree in a science-related field.

Through regular laboratory sessions, STEM PP uses experiments to teach concepts, improves theoretical understanding, exposes learners to ICT, and fosters an interest in science as a subject and engineering as a career. SANRAL invested R1.72-million in this project in 2015.

It has grown steadily since 2010 and in 2015 further expansion was facilitated by access to additional laboratories. The number of participants increased by an impressive 36%, from 1 603 in 2014 to 2 181 in 2015. This includes a small number of student educators and educators.

Top Employer accolades

2Nov2016

SANRALauthor3470views0comments

Top-employer-1 — SANRAL prides itself in proving exceptional employee conditions which are achieved partly through acquiring talented staff and then nurturing and developing them throughout all the levels of the organisation.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has been bestowed the honour of being a Top Employer for 2017 by the Top Employers Institute.

This was announced at a gala dinner in Pretoria on 13 October 2016. This makes it SANRAL’s 7^th Top Employer certification in the last decade.

At the event, 164 organisations spanning 32 countries representing 23 industry sectors were honoured and certified.

Heidi Harper, Corporate Services Executive at SANRAL, said: “The certification is a great achievement for the agency’s commitment to adding value to their staff and ensuring employment equity at every level of the business.

“SANRAL believes that employees are at the core of what the agency achieves. We believe in creating a balanced workforce which embraces diversity, especially since we live in a multi-cultural and multi-racial country.”

Top Employer seal of approval

As a certified Top Employer, SANRAL proudly wears the exclusive certification seal for an entire year. The seal is not only a recognisable symbol of the organisation’s successful employee environment over the past 12 months, but also of its commitment to develop and become an even better employer.

The Top Employers Institute is a Netherlands based independent organisation which surveys employers and their employee conditions in South Africa and measures them against international standards.

Their certificate is only awarded to companies that achieve the best standards of excellence in employee conditions. To determine the winner, participating companies have to complete an international HR best practices survey. All results are independently audited to verify the standard of employee conditions.

Samantha Crous, Regional Director Africa Top Employers Institute, said: “Top employership is clearly more than good business practice, it is business leadership at its best.”

SANRAL prides itself in proving exceptional employee conditions which are achieved partly through acquiring talented staff and then nurturing and developing them throughout all the levels of the organisation. The results of which are remarkable. For example, stats show that 95.4% of SANRAL employees are committed to their roles and 85.5% found their role enjoyable.

The roads agency also runs an effective occupational health and safety structure where trained safety officers ensure that safety is observed by all staff members. Through initiatives like the eKhaya Wellness Programme, SANRAL aims to enhance the employee and workplace effectiveness by encouraging the prevention, early identification and management of health conditions affecting employees and the resolution of personal issues.

SANRAL’s contribution to the economy

13Oct2016

SANRALauthor3243views0comments

Gauteng-Roads-1 — Confidence in the capacity and ability of SANRAL is reflected in its growing mandate after an increasing number of provinces requested SANRAL to take responsibility for the management of regional roads.

Through its professional management of the country’s most widely-used physical infrastructure, our roads, The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) impacts the economy positively.

SANRAL’s Annual Report and audited financial statements for 2015/16 were tabled in Parliament on 11 October 2016 and they revealed its impact.

Chairperson of SANRAL’s Board, Roshan Morar, said: “Without this network – and without SANRAL – none of the country’s economic growth objectives can be achieved. Roads are a prerequisite for economic growth and the delivery of social services to citizens.”

SANRAL has grown confidence in its ability to manage national and provincial roads; allocated more than R3.5-billion to SMMEs and has been given its 13^th successive clean audit report.

Confidence in the capacity and ability of SANRAL is reflected in its growing mandate after an increasing number of provinces requested SANRAL to take responsibility for the management of regional roads, resulting in a total network length of 21 490km at the time of the report.

Morar said: “We are proud of the fact that the engineering and safety interventions we introduce upon assuming responsibility for provincial roads lead to visible improvements within a couple of months.”

SANRAL makes a concerted contribution towards road safety through the implementation of globally-recognised measures including safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users and improved post-crash response. This is also illustrated by improved response times to incidents on roads that are served by the Freeway Management System.

Morar said: “SANRAL is proud of its contribution to the transformation of the South African economy, especially as it is reflected in the growth of the SMME sector.

“Our commitment to the empowerment of emerging contractors is demonstrated by the value of contracted allocated to this sector on construction and maintenance projects.”

During 2015/16 SANRAL awarded 210 contracts worth R14.8-billion for new works, rehabilitation and improvement as well as routine and special maintenance projects. Of this amount, R3.56-billion was earned by SMMEs.

Good governance

SANRAL has received a clean audit report from the Office of the Auditor General for the 13th year in succession.

SANRAL’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Dumisani Maluleke, said: “SANRAL continues to set high standards in the fields of corporate governance, accountability and financial probity.

“Ensuring best value for money and the confidence of the financial markets remain important objectives for the Board and management.”

He added that the quality of SANRAL’s engineering and technology is recognised by its peers, internationally and locally and reflected in the accolades awarded to the agency including global recognition for the Umgeni Road interchange in Durban.

Transport month launched

11Oct2016

SANRALauthor2301views0comments

taxis-1 — The use of public transport is being promoted by the Department of Roads and Transport. (Image: Arrive Alive)

October is Transport Month in South Africa and this was declared in 2005 during the Transport Lekgotla.

Launched on 3 October 2016 in Tshwane, Transport Month will be hosted under the theme: “Together we move South Africa Forward.”

The month-long programme will showcase transport infrastructure projects, promote the use of public transport and advance the country’s road safety initiatives.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, said: “Government has made huge investments and will continue to invest in road infrastructure and public transport, which is safe, reliable, affordable, and accessible.

“The goal of course is to incentivise commuters of every socio-economic category to travel on public transport. This is good for our environment; it eases traffic congestion and promotes wellness.”

The provincial Department of Roads and Transport will later this month distribute 2 000 bicycles in Ekurhuleni to encourage young people to take up cycling.

“We must imagine and create and live an alternative to the current car-centric nature of many cities across the globe,” said Vadi.

The city of Tshwane has also signed the “Clean Bus Declaration” and is committed to having 40% of its bus fleet converted to clean technologies by 2020.

Vadi said: “This will include buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) and other combination of zero emission capable vehicles. We will recall that the first CNG bus was launched in Tshwane in November 2015.”

A strategic project

A 35 kilometre long road to support the development of an Aerotropolis at the OR Tambo International Airport and the Tambo-Springs Freight and Logistics Hub is also being planned by the Department of Roads and Transport.

Vadi said the construction of PWV15 should be looked at as a strategic project.

He said: “We prioritise the maintenance and expansion of our road network precisely because it is an enabler of broader economic growth, job creation and the empowerment of small and medium enterprises.

“Apart from alleviating traffic congestion on the existing road network, it will accelerate the development of the Aerotropolis and the Tambo-Springs Logistics Hub, and enhance the adjacent land value along the route for housing, industrial and commercial development.”

PWV15 will relieve traffic pressure at the Gillooly’s Interchange, which has been upgraded by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) through the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

Vadi added that it would serve as a catalyst to modernise the road network in the eastern corridor, unlock economic opportunities through the revitalisation of the manufacturing sector in Ekurhuleni as well as allow for the free flow of freight traffic from the N3 to the N1 freeways.

SANRAL saves rare flora

11Oct2016

SANRALauthor2195views0comments

Aloe-1 — Aloe Arborescens is just one of the plant species that have been saved during the construction. (Image: Wikipedia)

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) and the eThekwini Municipality Environmental Planning Department have worked together to ensure that road development does not affect rare flora in the area.

The Hammarsdale interchange on the busy N3 is being upgraded and several plant species, including a range of specially protected bulbs and aloes had to be moved to a temporary nursery to save them from being destroyed.

These include: aloe arborescens, aloe ferox, aleo maculate, ledebouria floribunda, ledebouria ovativfloia and hypoxis hemerocallidea.

SANRAL encourages planting partnerships in its quest to re-populate the road reserve to a similar state it was in before construction.

Jason Lowe, SANRAL’s Eastern Region project manager, said: “These plants lay within the limits of the construction works and needed to be removed to avoid being damaged and destroyed.

“In keeping with SANRAL’s approach to environmental management based on its commitment to enhancing eco-efficiency and identifying and managing or eliminating environmental risks, biodiversity assets at the project site needed to be secured.”

The project’s goal is to transform the economic landscape, create new jobs and strengthen the delivery of basic services.

Managing grassland and vegetation

Part of the area falls within the Durban Metropolitan Open Space System (D’MOSS) which manages grassland and any vegetated areas along the N3.

An environmentalist was brought in and highlighted areas and the type of indigenous plants most likely to be found within the project limits.

The plants were identified and marked for removal and safe keeping until construction was complete.

A plant specialist was engaged to carefully remove the plants as different species have different removal techniques to ensure no damage occurs and to allow for replanting when required.

Lowe said: “All plants that were removed were carefully replanted in temporary plastic bags. The plants were grouped according to type of species and will be watered accordingly.”

The plants will remain at the temporary nursery until the construction is completed in their respective areas around June 2018.

Heavy traffic predicted

The development of the Keystone Park Light Industrial, Warehousing and Logistics Precinct at Hammarsdale, is located within the Primary Growth Corridor between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, identified in terms of the Provincial Spatial Economic Development Strategy.

This will mean an increase in the volume of traffic – especially heavy vehicles – using the interchange.

The intersection of the N3 and MR 385 will be upgraded from a simple diamond interchange to a new semi-parclo (partial cloverleaf) free flow interchange.

The upgrade will include the realignment of the MR 385 as well as the demolition of the existing structure once the new structure and relocated MR385 is complete and opened to traffic.

The new interchange will also accommodate the proposed widening of the N3 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg to eight lanes.

SANRAL’s technological approach

30Sep2016

SANRALauthor4779views0comments

Cape_Town_N2-1 — South Africa’s national freeways represent an integrated transport solution that adds value to the surrounding infrastructure, improves the quality of life of commuters and sustains the economy of the country. (Image: Wikipedia)

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is committed to technological innovation in its quest to make South Africa’s roads truly efficient and effective.

South Africa’s National Development Plan, or Vision 2030, makes provision for an infrastructure network that is efficient, competitive and responsive, which is why the intelligent transport system (ITS) operated in Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal uses telecommunication technology to relay real-time information on the flow of traffic.

According to SANRALS’s 2016 Annual Report: “South Africa’s national freeways represent an integrated transport solution that adds value to the surrounding infrastructure, improves the quality of life of commuters and sustains the economy of the country.”

Gauteng Freeway Management System

During 2015/16 the Gauteng Freeway Management System (FMS) facilitated coordinated responses to more than 22 300 incidents, including 4 342 collisions.

There was a 25% improvement in incident detection time compared to 2014/15 and, on average, incidents were detected within three minutes of occurring. This success was largely due to the ongoing training of role-players, monthly incident debriefings of on-scene personnel, and the refinement of standard operating procedures.

SANRAL’s dedicated On Road Service (ORS) Unit, with 10 incident response vehicles, 10 light towing vehicles, eight heavy recovery units, and six motorcycles for medical response played a significant role in achieving rapid response times. The ORS Unit responded to an average of 905 incidents a month. This figure represented an increase of 11% on the 2014/15 response rate.

KwaZulu-Natal Freeway Management System

The KwaZulu-Natal FMS covers the busiest 120km of the N2 and N3 freeways. Its traffic management centre dealt with approximately 12 000 traffic incidents, including 1 450 crashes in 2015/16. Stationary vehicles accounted for about 57% of incidents, while 15% related to traffic congestion and 12% were crashes.

KwaZulu-Natal’s FMS comprises 144 cameras, 26 variable message signboards and 59 radar vehicle detector stations. All communicate via a high-speed fibre optic system to a traffic management centre at the SANRAL offices in Pietermaritzburg.

The system has enhanced motorist safety by detecting and verifying incidents promptly, alerting emergency services more speedily and providing real-time warnings to road users. The average incident detection time was 2 minutes 25 seconds.

Cape Town Freeway Management System

During 2015/16, the Cape Town FMS facilitated a coordinated response to more than 20 000 incidents on the city’s freeways, including 2 400 crashes.

The main success was sustaining the downward trend in incident detection and crash clearance times.

On average, incidents were detected within 2 minutes 30 seconds of occurring. A reduction in clearance times at fatal crash scenes was particularly significant and this was primarily due to improved coordination among emergency services, including the South African Police Service.

The Cape Town FMS comprises 237 CCTV cameras and 52 variable message signboards which were available more than 98% of the time in 2015/16. To enhance the FMS, 79 vehicle detector stations (VDS) and 10 environmental sensor stations were commissioned.

The Cape Town FMS contributes to a task team set-up to improve safety and security on portions of the N2 and R300. The primary objective is to improve safety and security through proactive intelligence gathering and a rapid law enforcement response to any stationary vehicle on the freeway.

SANRAL taking care of the environment

27Sep2016

SANRALauthor2413views0comments

sanral-environment-1 — Fauna and flora will be conserved before any road construction takes place in the Eastern-Cape.

In its quest to connect people throughout the country, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) still wants to take care of the natural environment.

South Africa’s National Development Plan or Vision 2030 seeks to protect and enhance our environmental assets and natural resources which is exactly what SANRAL is doing in the Eastern Cape.

SANRAL has initiated their planned environmental conservation programmes designed to protect the Eastern Cape plant biological diversity and natural heritage of the Wild Coast as part of the environmental management plan of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR).

It has now launched a formal tendering process for a service provider with botanical and conservation expertise to implement aspects of the environmental management plan for the N2WCTR.

The successful service provider – to be appointed later this month – will be responsible for search and rescue, horticultural and rehabilitation services of threatened, protected and rare plant species near the Msikaba and the Mtentu bridges outside Lusikisiki and Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape.

Keeping plant species protected

Search and rescue missions will take place before all phases of the project, including the initial construction of haul roads to the Msikaba and Mtentu river bridge sites (scheduled for September 2016 – February 2017), the construction of the two mega-bridges (early 2017 – late 2019), and for construction of all other road works and bridges ( 2018 – 2020/21).

Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s Southern Region Manager, said: “Our first priority is to put programmes and initiatives in place to comply with the conditions of the record of decision from the Department of Environmental Affairs. All SANRAL road construction and engineering projects in South Africa and the Eastern Cape have stringent and well-planned environmental management plans, but none more so than on these N2 Wild Coast Projects.

“All SANRAL projects are finely monitored and evaluated. The environment and communities in the Wild Coast are and will be our first priority.”

The appointed service provider will be responsible for:

Establishing and maintaining plant nurseries at suitable locations;
Undertaking tasks as set out in the Plant Search and Rescue Plan;
Rescuing plant material listed as protected, vulnerable or rare and additional plant species suitable for rehabilitation;
Utilising and involving local communities to harvest plant materials that have traditional uses in accordance with an agreed and structured programme;
Harvesting exposed and weathered rocks, as appropriate, for placement in suitable locations in disturbed areas as part of the rehabilitation process at completion of works;
Undertaking plant propagation of suitable species (from seeds and cuttings);
Assisting contractors with vegetative rehabilitation through reintroduction of rescued and propagated plant material and seeding; and
Assisting contractors with maintenance of rehabilitated areas by way of weeding, watering, replanting and repair of damaged areas.

Peterson said: “In close cooperation with the National Botanical Institute and with the input of environmental authorities and groups all rare, endangered and endemic species and species of conservation value will be translocated to suitable nurseries with the aim to both re-establish in an existing conservation area and to assist with the rehabilitation of disturbed areas after construction.

“In the limited forest areas affected, suitable tree seedlings and understory plants will be rescued and kept in a nursery for re-planting in suitable sites after construction. Areas that might be disturbed will be re-vegetated using either specified indigenous seed mix where appropriate and/or vegetation removed as part of the initial search and rescue operation.”

Bringing socio-economic change

21Sep2016

SANRALauthor2455views0comments

community-dev-1 — Image: Brand South Africa

South Africa’s National Development Plan or Vision 2030 seeks a more inclusive economy that will address the country’s socio-economic imbalances and the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) is helping achieve this.

SANRAL is committed to promoting economic growth, stimulating the expansion of small and medium-sized businesses, reducing unemployment, and building a skilled workforce.

According to SANRAL’s 2016 Annual Report SMMEs performed work to the value of R3.56 billion on non-toll roads and toll roads funded by SANRAL during 2015/16. Black-owned SMMEs undertook 49 percent of these contracts and the combined value of their work amounted to 55 percent of the agency’s total expenditure on SMME road contracts.

Close to R13 million was invested in developing the skills of workers involved in SANRAL road projects during 2015/16.

SANRAL’s commitment to providing employment saw 59% of these opportunities taken up by workers who were 35 years and younger. Women claimed almost 20% of the opportunities.

Community Development programmes

With its commitment to community development, SANRAL prioritises local workers in the areas where it is undertaking road works and this inevitably implies that the work is for a finite period.

However, there is a lasting benefit for many of those involved in terms of skills acquisition and improved job prospects in the future.

SANRAL’s community development programme focuses on:

Providing pedestrian facilities and safe access points for communities living next to the national road network.
Creating jobs and providing access to skills and training.
Developing SMMEs.
Promoting community participation.
Developing individuals through a variety of education initiatives.

During 2015/16 80 community development projects were registered, in design or under construction. The combined value of these projects was approximately R149 332 245.

An example of the agency’s strategic ability to conceive and implement meaningful community development programmes alongside its conventional engineering programme is the Ngcobo access road project in the Chris Hani District Municipality, completed in September 2015. Through the project SANRAL was able to maximise job opportunities, and develop skills and local enterprise while undertaking a R209-million engineering project.

To increase local job opportunities, SANRAL selected labour-intensive road construction methods. A slurry bound macadam base pavement design was used to upgrade the gravel road. This resulted in the employment of 110 youth from four villages near the project.

These young people underwent structured training in construction and acquired skills that made them employable on local, regional and national projects.

Tina Prinsloo, Director at Valorex, a company that undertakes routine road maintenance on behalf of SANRAL in areas around Tzaneen, Louis Trichardt, Nelspruit and Barberton praised SANRAL.

“SANRAL has helped our company grow. We employ 10 permanent workers and as many as 30 contracted workers on each project. I would like to become a contractor who, given the correct resources, can incubate other new sub-contractors,” she said.

Valorex has in a relatively short time built the capacity to undertake level 4 civil engineering work and level 1 asphalt work.