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PE’s Bright Star

26Jan2016

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Port Elizabeth can count 18-year- old, Theresa, as one of its exceptional young achievers who is striving to make an impact in the medical industry.

Theresa, a former matric pupil at Collegiate Girls’ High School, was a SANRAL scholarship recipient in 2014. She was selected because her results were excellent, and for an essay she wrote on her future goals in which she spoke about the science-based careers she was considering.

SANRAL and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) have hosted the Science, Technology, Engineering and Related Management/Mathematics (STEM) Fields Pipeline Project since 2000. The primary objective of the initiative is to promote and develop the physical science skills of Grade 10 to Grade 12 learners in the Eastern Cape, and to ultimately increase the number of learners qualifying to study for degrees in science and technology.

“The STEM programme is very helpful. Learners get to explore the practical side of the syllabus. The experiments help us understand the work better. We got to build atoms and saw how these worked,” said Theresa.

In the recent Matric of the Year competition, Theresa won the academic category. Her other achievements include:
– First place in the province in the annual ATKV Afrikaanse Olimpiade for two years in a row (2014 and 2015)

– Selected as a member of the International Young Mathematics Convention team that participated in India (2014)

– Winning the Royal Society of Chemistry award at the Eskom National Science Competition (2014)

– And being invited to represent South Africa at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburg, USA (2015).

On top of all of this, Theresa was head of her school’s debating society, she plays the clarinet and recently completed her grade 8 Trinity music syllabus.

She plays social tennis, enjoys French cooking and loves ballroom dancing. She is passionate about French culture and is also learning to speak French.

As a member of the International Young Mathematics Convention team, Theresa was able to attend a school in Lucnow, India. She described the experience as “extremely amazing”.

“Lucnow has two or three campuses and between these there are 50 000 learners. They are extremely intelligent. Some were already finishing high school at the age of 14. To compete against people of that calibre is an amazing experience.

I have dreams for South Africa and I would like to thank SANRAL for giving me an opportunity to take a step closer to realising dreams of my own.”

Theresa will be following in the footsteps of her father, Dr Hannes Brummer, by studying medicine at Stellenbosch University.

But unlike her father, who is a urologist, Theresa plans to specialise in pathology or surgery. Her parents are her role models.

“My mom is my rock. She’s always there for me. I can call on her anytime when I have a bad day. She’s taught me to be optimistic. My dad is my big inspiration. We’re very much the same person, focused and passionate about our work.”

Theresa’s advice to other youngsters is that even though school work is important if you don’t get the results you want, work to turn that negative into a positive and set yourself new goals.

Saving The Old Man, Oldenburgia Grandis

26Jan2016

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SANRAL has teamed up with Rhodes University to save a rare, endemic plant species, Oldenburgia grandis, and has now brought this species home to help educate Grahamstown residents in the local botanical gardens.

In conjunction with the transplanting of the species, SANRAL also funded a botanical research project to provide new insights into the reproductive biology of this species.

Before this research, carried out by Rhodes University post-graduate Emma Mostert, very little was known about the reproductive biology or transplantability of Oldenburgia grandis.

The project is funded by SANRAL.

Mostert’s studies focus on the ecology of the species, such as population structure and reproductive biology, including seed production, germination and pollination.

Mostert describes the species as “a very strange plant that looks almost prehistoric, which makes finding out about aspects of its ecology fascinating”.

Steven Robertson, SANRAL Project Manager, said it was standard procedure to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) before starting work on a road project.

SANRAL has also teamed up with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) to conduct research on the contribution of national road reserves to conservation in the eastern portion of the Fynbos Biome, which forms part of the Cape Floristic Region, one of the country’s biodiversity hotspots.

This is of particular importance in the Tsitsikamma area as most of the original fynbos has been converted to pine plantations or agricultural land.

“The SANRAL approach to environmental management is an integral feature of the agency’s established record of corporate citizenship. Respect for the natural environment is an important goal for us,” said Simon Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region Manager.

Top Award For SANRAL At Global Meeting

26Jan2016

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SANRAL’s prominent international standing was once again confirmed when it was given the award for the best paper submitted at the 25th World Road Congress (known as PIARC) held in Seoul, South Korea in November last year.

Also, its exhibition stand was adjudged to be one of the best. The congress brought together 122 national road administrations from around the globe and is held every fourth year.

This year its theme was ‘Roads and Mobility – Creating new value from Transport.

Five SANRAL employees delivered papers (Alex van Niekerk, Randall Cable, Kersen Naidoo, Alice Mathew and Mogole Mphahlele) while CEO Nazir Alli chaired two sessions.

The congress brings together so many views and so much information from so many participants that it can truly be described as an ideas platform, where information is shared and there is indirect mentoring. Being exposed to so many different cultures in one place is equally important.

Many countries exhibited but the South African exhibition was seemingly the most popular. It was crowded every day and several other exhibitors praised it, notably the United States and Mexico.

Information Helps For A Safer Drive – Here’s Why.

26Jan2016

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SANRAL has two important and highly effective communication systems that provide road users with information to ensure they arrive safely and with travel-time predictability.

The Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) currently operates in Cape Town, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The Advanced Traffic Information System (ATIS) collects information about our road networks, where information such as traffic flow conditions and incident notification alerts are disseminated
for purposes of pre-trip and en-route decision making.

The information is distributed on SANRAL’s i-traffic website, the Variable Message Signs (VMS) and to local radio stations and social media platforms reaching hundreds of thousands of motorists. We also use the recorded incident footage to train and debrief our operational personnel, emergency services, traffic and law enforcement stakeholders to ensure effective on-scene management and to assist with resource management.

Creating Jobs, Expanding Skills

26Jan2016

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The current slow rate of economic growth and lack of job opportunities calls for urgent measures to be taken to nurture small, medium and macro enterprises (SMMEs) as a means of bolstering this relatively underdeveloped sector of the South African economy.

The development of SMMEs forms part of SANRAL’s broader socio-economic development strategy.

An example of a thriving SMME in Limpopo is Expectra 388 cc.

It is mainly responsible for Routine Road Maintenance (RRM). The company is currently doing all the maintenance on the road from Polokwane to Burgersfort. Over the past six years, Expectra has done work worth R17 million.

In the past year alone, it carried out RRM work worth R3.7 million.
The company has also invested heavily in the training and development of its employees for current and future employment opportunities.

Some of the training that has already been offered to its workers include:
– Road Traffic Management
– Basic Fire Fighting
– Occupational Health & Safety
– Stone Pitching
– Installing Gabions & Reno Mattresses
– Level 1 & 2 First Aid
– Erecting and Maintain Guardrails
– Aids awareness

Expectra is also involved in corporate social investment in the province, such as the refurbishment of the Thabong Drop-in Centre in Mankweng. It is an after-care centre that caters for young children between seven and 14 years old in the area, run by one woman – Paulina Letsoalo – with the assistance of a few community volunteers. They feed the children and provide a safe place for them to go to after school where they can do their homework and get a meal – sometimes the only meal they get for the day.

The refurbishment project entails the construction of an entire playground, a soccer field as well as a netball court and six toilets. Further work will include fencing around the property, starting a vegetable garden, planting of grass and trees. All these will ensure that the centre provides a homely environment to the children it was established to assist.

George Brand, Route Manager for Expectra said:

“It is always a pleasure and honour to do work for SANRAL. What brings us pride is that the results are always visible and noticeable to road users.”

The company also supplied the centre with a 10 000 This SMME sources all of its local labour entirely from the litre water tank, tables and chairs as well as constructed George Brand Route Manager for Expectra communities along the routes it services.

SANRAL Activates Awareness In Motherwell Community

26Jan2016

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Road safety campaigns, scholarships, bursary programmes and information aimed at saving lives were taken to the people of Port Elizabeth by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) when the agency held an outreach event at the Motherwell Shopping Centre.

The community activation, which drew large crowds, included a general overview of SANRAL projects, SANRAL’s ChekiCoast (Save a Life) road safety campaign and information on SANRAL’s scholarship and bursary programmes targeted at learners with potential and students interested in engineering.

Community members were afforded the opportunity to interact with SANRAL employees who were not only there to listen but also to inform them of the bene ts they could reap from scholarship programmes offered by the state-owned entity. The SANRAL employees also informed the residents of projects which could directly and indirect bene t from the work done in and around their communities.

“Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region’s regional manager says SANRAL supports civil engineering students to reach their full potential. “During the 2014/15 financial year, we granted bursaries to 105 students at a cost of about R11 million. We are passionate about mathematics and science and continue to attract learners to our scholarship programme,” said Peterson.

He explained that learners who excel academically are supported from grades 10 to 12. During the past year, SANRAL awarded scholarships to 172 learners at a cost of about R2.3 million.

Elna Fourie, SANRAL Manager of Road Safety Education and Awareness said SANRAL was very passionate and serious about road safety.

“Apart from the engineering infrastructure projects we implement, we also roll out our road safety education project at schools. Last year (2014) our road safety education material targeting grades 1 to 12 was delivered to 326 schools. This material reached 153 193 learners and 1 446 teachers, with 608 of the teachers attending workshops,” said Fourie.

Earlier this month (November) SANRAL and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Missionvale campus in Port Elizabeth hosted the Science, Technology, Engineering and Related Management/Mathematics (STEM) Fields Pipeline Project where the area’s top performing schools and teachers received awards.

The objective of the project is to develop human capital and capacity in these vital subjects, especially among learners in Grades 10 to 12 in the Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth school districts.

“We hope to inspire people to become active and take charge of their futures. We went through SANRAL’s bursary programme and we are now able to sow back into the communities where we come from and this gives us a sense of pride,” said Lindokuhle Mhlangeni, an engineering intern at SANRAL (Southern Region).

The activation was broadcast live by local radio station, Nqubela FM (also known as KQFM) which gave everyone who did not attend the activation an opportunity to learn about ChekiCoast and what SANRAL offers Port Elizabeth and the rest of the Eastern Cape.

Mandisa Vuma, who visited the stand, said:

“What some people don’t know about SANRAL is the role they also play when it comes to supporting education. They support educational programmes hosted at the university (NMMU).”

Thulisa Lukwe and her mother Phunyezwa Lukwe were surprised to learn that SANRAL also offers bursaries and scholarships.

Thulisa said she was happy that SANRAL publicised the bursaries and scholarship programmes as well.

“This was a good idea to talk about what else SANRAL does besides xing roads. I am happy they have reached out to parents and told them about the bursaries and scholarships.”

Sive Pupa said although she did not have extensive knowledge of the SANRAL bursary and scholarship programmes she was aware of SANRAL roads maintenance projects.

“My mother has an SMME and she worked on road maintenance projects before. This is how I know there are people who keep an eye out on the conditions of the roads. After this community activation programme of today I will know so much more about what else SANRAL has to offer.”

Individuals who would like to gain insight on SANRAL are encouraged to visit our website here, for more information.

AARTO – What You Need To Know.

26Jan2016

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The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) is an entity of the Department of Transport responsible for influencing positive driver behaviour and to encourage voluntary compliance with road traffic laws of the country through the implementation of Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (AARTO) and its Points Demerit System. RTIA commits to using its legislative mandate to ensure that road traffic laws are adhered to, lives are saved and our roads are safer for all those who use them.

In preparation for the implementation of AARTO nationally, the Agency is involved in a series of stakeholder engagement sessions in the form of AARTO roundtable discussions, Sihamba ne AARTO roadshows and partnerships with civic society and the interfaith fraternity in echoing the saying that “road safety is everybody’s responsibility”.

These interventions are in support of the Minister of Transport’s conviction to drive road user behavioural change through robust debate, moral revival and heightened awareness about motorist rights and responsibility on road safety. It is in appreciation of the fact that 90% of all road crashes that occur on the South African road network are often found to have resulted from a violation of road traffic laws.

RTIA through AARTO education and awareness campaigns seeks to harness interventions for changing the culture of the road users, heighten the appreciation for more prudence and respect for life on the road.

Objectives of RTIA’s Road Safety Awareness Campaigns under the AARTO Act:

– Mobilise and empower civic society to enhance accountability amongst fellow motorists.

– Mobilise support for the Million Signature Campaign towards active participation of civic society as government’s partner in changing the behaviour of the road user.

– Encourage a culture of voluntary compliance amongst road users in South Africa.

– Foster a heightened understanding of road traffic regulations and increased sense of responsibility amongst road users.

Let’s look at dialogue and what’s needed – Daphne Mashile-Nkosi, Board member of SANRAL

26Jan2016

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The “#FeesMustFall,” campaign by university students has generated much debate. That is to be welcomed and encouraged.

Like the 1976 generation, the so-called hashtag youth of today has once again reminded us not only of the imperative of the right to education but also its place in facilitating economic access and meaningful citizen participation.

With humility, one is reminded of an observation which became the mantra of the late Stan Nkosi (my husband) that “Africa will not be free until education, economic freedom and moral regeneration is prioritised”.

In the area of education, it should be possible to explore consensus on a package of measures to broaden access so as to facilitate the potential of all our people.

The starting point should be a discussion among the leadership of the key stakeholders on the strategic importance of education in the achievement of our national development goals as articulated in the National Development Plan (NDP).

SANRAL already takes the approach seriously in its programmes to enhance educational possibilities for students and learners, especially in the eld of science and mathematics.

We should use the students’ protest urgently to convene a national dialogue on education to examine the constraints and opportunities in the system and what we should do to turn the situation around.

It should concern us that while government currently spends an estimated R203 468 billion on basic education, with the figure projected to rise to roughly R640 billion in the next three years, our return on the investment is still less than satisfactory.

Before 1994, we used to talk about the vital need for the rekindling and promotion of a culture of learning and teaching, which was asphyxiated by decades of the system of Bantu education.

Today, that discussion has disappeared from the national discourse. One consequence of this is that it is taken for granted that the culture has been rekindled over the years, which might be partially correct if not entirely erroneous.

The poor literacy and numeracy performance of learners registered over the years in Annual National Assessments are indicative of serious shortcomings that suggest a national crisis in education.

The Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga revealed that the Diagnostic Report affected to examine the tests revealed that “in some cases,” the difficulties experienced by learners “were the result of ineffective teaching methods”. However, the poor performance of learners at critical stages like those in the senior phase might suggest that the “ineffective teaching methods” might be more widespread than we think.

The assessments, as indeed other elements of education, cannot be left to the department and teachers’ unions alone. They are a national concern that requires the attention of all stakeholders including parents, learners themselves, business and education specialists.

It is also clear that the current system of engagement by stakeholders within the sector does not bode well for consensus promotion and might inadvertently reduce the capacity to reach national goals. For example, what happens if learners’ organised formations enter into agreements with the department which unduly disadvantage teachers or vice versa?

The recent public announcement by the Congress of South African Students which encouraged learners to respond in kind to corporal punishment meted to learners by teachers was an illustration of the absence of consensus about how to address discipline in the schooling system. This is despite the existence of government policy as reflected in law.

There is, therefore, a need for a more democratised system of engagement which takes into account the place of education in the nation’s economic, political, social vision and aspirations – one in which stakeholders appreciate accountability not only to their constituencies but, above all, the nation as a whole.

The same attitude should guide stakeholders at the apex of the education system, the tertiary level.

These and other matters could best be debated in the context of a national dialogue on education which focuses the nation’s attention singularly to the issue.

It is an initiative which the Stan and Daphne Nkosi Foundation would readily partner.

Massive Debt Discounts – Have You Taken This Opportunity?

26Jan2016

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Road users on the Gauteng freeway network became eligible for a 60% reduction of their historic e-toll debt in arrears on 2 November 2015. This once-off discount applies to all unpaid e-tolls levied on GFIP roads from 3 December 2013 up to and including 31 August 2015

The new e-toll dispensation, announced by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in May last year, was phased in and changes were made to the electronic systems to ensure a seamless transition, says SANRAL’s Head of Communications, Vusi Mona.

Among the changes that were already in place are a uniform rate per vehicle class (for example, 30 cents per kilometre for light vehicles) and a 50% reduction in the monthly maximum for registered account holders.

Road users with outstanding e-toll debt incurred from 3 December 2013 until 31 August 2015 now have six months to settle their accounts, or make payment arrangements.

“This is not an amnesty or a debt write-off,” says Mona.

“It is a special discount offered to road users in terms of the new dispensation.”

Detailed information on all payment options available can be found on the special website here.

Mona says the best option for road users is still to register for e-tags and bene t from the reduced tariff and a monthly maximum that has been cut in half from R450 per month to only R225 for light vehicles, since the beginning of July.

“Government has listened to concerns from Gauteng road users about the affordability of the e-toll fees and responded by reducing toll fees and making it easier for those who do not have an account with SANRAL to settle their debt.”

Transport Engineers Shortage? Not if we can help it!

26Jan2016

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There is a shortage of qualified transport engineers in the country, which is made worse by the increasing demand for these skills, particularly at local government level. In addition, there are very few tertiary institutions in the country that offer degrees in transport engineering.

It is for this reason that the Department of Transport, together with SANRAL, have entered into a strategic partnership to develop a new curriculum for such a degree at the North West University, Mahikeng Campus.

An initiative to produce quality graduates in transport economics and transport planning was started by the Department of Transport, together with the Universities of Cape Town and Pretoria in 2002.

The project was, however, not developed because of lack of funding from the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA).

There are many opportunities for young graduates in transport planning because municipalities do not currently have the capacity. Municipalities generally rely on outside consultants to do this work and the quality of work generally varies from good to exceptionally poor and shoddy work.

Utmost importance will be placed on transport planners and transport economists. Transport planning should not be isolated from spatial planning as this influences the urbanisation of cities – which is happening at an increasingly rapid pace – and this has had a profound effect on city planning in South Africa. Pre-1994 it meant that the disenfranchised were far from work opportunities

Basic approaches to such planning exist – such as the Integrated Transport Plan – but skilled people in municipalities to implement them adequately are in short supply.

The programme curriculum of the envisaged transport engineering degree will support the National Development Plan and the National Transport Policy. The partnership between stakeholders in the transport engineering sector will also culminate in the creation of a networking platform between industry players and students for employment and placement opportunities.

If you want to be part of this future, take a look at our bursary and scholarship opportunities here.