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UPGRADE TO NATIONAL ROUTE 3, SECTION 2, FROM CATO RIDGE INTERCHANGE (KM 20.2) TO DARDANELLES (KM 26.6)

Durban 3 November 2023 – The construction of the northbound carriageway of the N3 has been proceeding well and the northbound traffic can now be diverted onto the newly constructed carriageway between Cato Ridge Interchange and Camperdown Interchange, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced.

“The switchover shall be done at night commencing from 5pm on Thursday, 9 November 2023 until 5am on Friday, 10 November 2023. The southbound traffic shall continue using the lanes currently used. The target date for switching the southbound traffic to contraflow between Camperdown Interchange and Cato Ridge Interchange is 11 December 2023. Contraflow conditions between Camperdown Interchange and Dardanelles will not be affected by this traffic switch and shall remain in contraflow,” said Thabiso Dladla, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.

Once the traffic has been diverted off the southbound carriageway between Camperdown and Cato Ridge Interchanges, the existing southbound carriageway will be available for the total reconstruction of the new four lane southbound carriageway. It is expected that contraflow conditions shall prevail until January 2025.

The speed limit along the route has been reduced to 80km/hr to improve safety to the construction team and road users. Lane closures to permit construction vehicles safely entering and exiting the work zone can be expected at night and the public will be informed in advance of such activity.

Delays are expected, as a result of the reduced speed limit and motorists are urged to plan their trips carefully and be vigilant along the road during their travels.

“SANRAL apologises to the motoring public for any inconvenience caused during the switchover. We appeal to road users to adhere to the road signs and speed limit when approaching and travelling through the construction site,” said Dladla.

MEDIA RELEASE
N2 section 2 officially open at Botrivier

Western Cape, 30 October 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is happy to report that the N2 section 2 at Botrivier is now open to traffic. This follows a four week road closure, where a portion of the road washed away when the Bot River burst its banks during the recent heavy rains experienced in the Western Cape.

Emergency repairs were instituted as soon as the contractor could access the damaged section of the road and the team has been working under extended hours until at least 22h00 every night, as well as on weekends.

The reconstruction and repair of the road involved 3100m³ of rockfill, 112 tons of asphalt and hundreds of man hours spent on site.

“SANRAL is mindful of the strategic and economic importance of the N2 and appreciates the sacrifices made by road users in taking alternative routes, some in excess of 100km. To this extent we were committed to opening the road as soon as safely possible, as improved mobility and the resumption of economic activity are prioritised,” said SANRAL CEO, Reginald Demana.

Repair works were carried out with the utmost respect for the natural environment and the sensitive ecosystems within which the road exists. While every effort was made to speed up the work, careful consideration was given to environmental compliance.

“it is a huge relief to have the road open and for people, goods and services to once again have uninterrupted access to the N2. We want to thank road users for their patience during this time. Our gratitude also extends to the workers who, without hesitation, put shoulder to the wheel to get the road open in record time. Because of their dedication, we have managed to open the road sooner than anticipated”, said Randall Cable, SANRAL’s Western Region Manager.

Road users are reminded to drive with caution as clean-up operations and repair teams continue on various roads across the Province following the devasting floods of late September.

MEDIA RELEASE
SANRAL PUBLISHES PROPOSED INTERIM PREFERENTIAL PROCUREMENT POLICY (PPP) AND BEGINS CONSULTATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS

Pretoria, 30 October 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has issued a proposed Interim Preferential Procurement Policy (PPP) which is open for comment for a period of three (3) weeks from today, 30 October 2023, until 17 November 2023. The document can be found on SANRAL’s website (www.nra.co.za) and various social media platforms. Embedded within the policy document is an email address (commentsppp@nra.co.za) to enable stakeholders to submit their comments.

SANRAL will also on Tuesday, 31 October 2023, start conducting a series of engagements at various venues throughout the country to consult stakeholders on the proposed PPP. The first of the stakeholder engagement sessions will take place at SANRAL’s Western Region office in Belville, Cape Town, and will also be linked virtually to venues in Pacaltsdorp, George, in the Southern Cape and also in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. SANRAL’s Western Region spans the provinces of Western Cape and Northern Cape.

In addition, SANRAL will conduct stakeholder engagement sessions, at which senior SANRAL managers will be present, in all other provinces as part of a PPP Roadshow over the next few weeks. Stakeholders should be on the lookout for dates and venues of the sessions in their regions/provinces. These will also be published on SANRAL’s online platforms.

The decision to withdraw SANRAL’s new Preferential Procurement Policy which came into effect in May 2023 was taken by the Board last Monday, 23 October 2023, after careful consideration of the legal challenges to the policy launched by construction companies in various courts across the country.

These legal challenges would have prevented SANRAL from processing tenders worth billions of Rands, with significant negative consequences for the economy, as well as thousands of construction-related jobs.

The main purpose of the stakeholder engagement meetings is to enable SANRAL to receive inputs and contributions from interested and affected stakeholders on the proposed Interim PPP.

SANRAL urges all relevant stakeholders to participate in this consultative process to facilitate a speedy resolution to any potential obstacles that would delay the roads agency from meeting its mandate to build and maintain the country’s road infrastructure network and pursue its transformation objectives.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY

FLOOD REPAIRS TO MAIN ROAD P398/2 FROM BOY’S TOWN TO WESTBROOK BEACH

Durban 26 October 2023, The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to

announce the award of the contract for the flood repairs to Main Road P398/2, also known as M4

from Boy’s Town to Westbrook Beach. The appointed contractor is Thelbridge Enterprise (Pty) Ltd.

“The upgrade comes because of flood damage that took place in April 2022. The contract duration is

six months. Works commenced from 3 October 2023 and is estimated to be completed by April

2024. The contractor has begun with his site establishment and clearing at location 1,

” said Sumay

Maharaj, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.

The scope of works will entail, inter alia:

o The construction of one cell box culvert at Location 1 – The site is situated near Boy’s Town,

in Genazzano along M4.

o The construction of four cell box culvert at Location 2 – The site is situated near Boy’s Town,

in Genazzano along M4.

o The construction of the Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall– The site is situated between

Westbrook Circle and Tongaat River Bridge.

The entire construction section of M4 road will be closed to allow for safe construction works at

locations 1, 2 and 3. However, the temporary deviations will be provided on both locations 1 and 2.

Location 3 is currently closed due to the Tongaat bridge construction taking place and is estimated to

be completed by 16 December 2023 to tie into the planned completion of the Tongaat River Bridge.

The following alternate route can be used by light motor vehicles only:

Desainager and La Mercy Circle – M43 (Watson Highway):

o Motorists will need to take the first exit at the Desainager and La Mercy Circle.

o Turn right on Dolphin Avenue and continue for approximately 650m.

o At the T-junction, turn right onto Genazzano Road, and travel for an approximately 2.2km.

o At a second T-junction, this is the M43 (Watson Highway), motorists will be required to turn

right and they will arrive at the Westbrook Tongaat Circle.

“Motorists are advised to take note and obey the advanced warning signage and speed restrictions

when travelling past the construction work zone. To prioritise the safety of both the construction

workers and motorists, the speed limit along the route will be reduced during construction. All

motorists are advised to plan their routes ahead of time and where possible leave for destinations

earlier than usual,

” said Maharaj.

 

 

MEDIA RELEASE

SANRAL BOARD WITHDRAWS THE PREFERENTIAL PROCUREMENT POLICY TO AVOID A LENGTHY LEGAL BATTLE AND ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE CONSULTING STAKEHOLDERS ON TRANSFORMATION OF THE INDUSTRY

Pretoria, 24 October 2023 – The Board of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) announces the withdrawal of its new Preferential Procurement Policy (PPP) adopted by the Board on 23 May 2023 so as to avert lengthy court battles associated thereto. SANRAL intends to commence a process on a date soon to be announced where it seeks to engage the construction industry and all relevant stakeholders to address meaningful transformation imperatives of the sector.

The Chairperson of the SANRAL Board, Mr Themba Mhambi says the decision to withdraw the new Preferential Procurement Policy was taken by the Board after careful consideration of developments since it was adopted. “Following our adoption in May 2023 of a new Preferential Procurement Policy for SANRAL, there have been a number of legal challenges to the policy which were launched by construction companies in various courts across the country,” said Mr Mhambi. “The legal challenges to the new Preferential Procurement Policy have regrettably resulted in SANRAL being prevented from proceeding with the processing of close to 80 tenders worth billions of rands, with significant negative consequences for the fulfilment of the constitutional and statutory mandate of SANRAL.
“The Board of SANRAL has adopted the decision to withdraw the new Preferential Procurement Policy because of the negative impact these court challenges have, including the fact that we anticipate that the lengthy court processes will cause significant delays to the work of SANRAL .”

The Board proposes, as an interim measure, pending the adoption of a finalised policy, to adjudicate all tenders in accordance with the Scorecard, attached hereto as an annexure that contains Table 1 described as Allocation of Specific Goals. Insofar as subcontracting is concerned, SANRAL shall require, as a condition of contract, that successful bidders be required to ensure compliance with contract participation goals for targeted enterprises in targeted areas and labour as per the formula applied by the CIDB in terms of Government Gazette No. 4127 published in November 2017, as was applied before the introduction of the policy which is being withdrawn. In this regard, SANRAL shall be inviting representations from stakeholders to make submissions on the content of the draft interim policy. The date and time when such representations should be made shall be announced shortly.

SANRAL is advised by Senior Counsel that in light of the change in the scoring formula, it is necessary to commence the tender process afresh, a decision which has been reached with much angst in light of the urgent need for the services to be rendered. SANRAL will therefore be cancelling all existing advertised tenders that have not yet closed, issue new tender adverts, and subsequently adjudicate all tenders within the confines of the interim policy. SANRAL intends to expedite the re-advertisement of tenders and processing thereof within this current financial year.

SANRAL’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Reginald Demana, said that infrastructure development is critical to South Africa’s economic growth and, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country could not afford further disruptions towards the expansion and maintenance of the national road network and
key arteries across the country’s provinces. “Road and rail infrastructure are the lifeblood of our economy and as such, any disruption to its maintenance, as well as any disruption to our extensive programme of new infrastructure projects, is a threat to our country’s economic growth,” said Mr Demana.

“A protracted legal battle between SANRAL and the construction industry would have dire consequences not only for SANRAL’s projects, which run into billions of rands, but would also be detrimental to the entire economy. Clearly, it is not in the interest of SANRAL, nor is it in the national interest, to delay our infrastructure build programme.

“To this end, we at SANRAL are conscious of the role that the national road network – currently at 23,559km but set to expand to 35,000 km through transfers of roads from provinces to SANRAL – plays in the economy and everything related, including job creation and poverty alleviation. By the end of this financial year (2023/24), SANRAL’s network is likely to be 25,000 km already. For context, South Africa’s road network is the 11th longest in the world and the 19th longest paved road network globally. Of this, SANRAL currently manages only four percent (4%), which will then become 4.7% at 35,000km. However, this relatively small network makes up the most important economic arteries of South Africa, carrying some 40% of annual vehicle kilometres, some 60% of all freight and approximately 70% of all road freight. It is clear then that roads altogether account for a very high level of all freight in South Africa”.

Mr Demana said SANRAL’s operating model was based on ensuring that the road network is maintained, improved, strengthened, expanded and rehabilitated at all times, using private sector contractors and engineers to provide the services for road design and construction. SANRAL’s Procurement Policy is based on an open tender system which is provided for in Section 217 of the Constitution which requires public procurement to be fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective. The Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act, and SANRAL’s procurement framework, policies and procedures, combined with directives from National Treasury, form the basis of SANRAL’s procurement system. All relevant policies, legislation, regulations and directives shall be used to continue to champion the transformation of the construction industry in consultation with its stakeholders.

“The SANRAL Board adopted in May 2023 the new Preferential Procurement Policy to advance transformation of one of the most important industries in South Africa, the construction industry. In taking the decision to adjudicate tenders in accordance with interim measures highlighted above, SANRAL hopes and trusts that all construction companies, and indeed all our stakeholders, shall work together with us to ensure that we are able to continue with the procurement of services and to meaningfully transform the construction industry”.

SANRAL shall continue to consult all its stakeholders to consider and work on a new procurement policy, in order to build and transform the economy of the country. This process will be undertaken as soon as possible and within a reasonable time and will undergo a public consultation process.

We have consulted with those who had indicated commitment to join the court matter in defence of SANRAL and they understand that we have taken this stance to avoid prolonged non-award of tenders and in the interests of the government’s economic recovery plan. We thank, as well, the myriad entities and individuals who expressed their support for us and wish to reassure them that we remain firmly committed to meaningful transformation of the industry, including increasing black ownership and benefit beyond current levels.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY NOTICE

MAINTENANCE OF CH MITCHELL BRIDGE ACROSS THE MTAMVUNA RIVER ON THE R61 AT THE

WILD COAST CASINO

Durban 24 October 2023 – The repair and maintenance work on the CH Mitchell bridge across the Mtamvuna River in the vicinity Port Edward on the R61 started on 18 October 2023, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has said.

The contract is for the duration of five (5) months with the anticipated completion date estimated for February 2024.

“The project consists of the replacement of some structural members, bridge bearing supports, wrapping of supporting cables and painting of corroded areas. The bridge joints will also be upgraded and the bridge will be re-surfaced to provide a smooth crossing of the Mtamvuna River,” said Siphesihle Mthembu, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Junior Project Engineer.

During the execution of the maintenance work, the traffic along the bridge will have to be limited to single-lane traffic. For the purpose of the installation of traffic control facilities, short duration Stop/Go traffic accommodation will be implemented during the day.

The replacement of the bridge bearings will require full closure of the bridge for short periods. The road users will be notified of full road closures in advance of the actual closure taking place.

No abnormal loads will be allowed to cross the bridge during the maintenance period, that is from the commencement thereof until the anticipated completion of the work, currently scheduled for February 2024.

“Motorists are advised to take note of the construction activities and to be observant of the advance warning signs and restrictions, when anticipating travelling across the CH Mitchell Bridge,” said Mthembu.

An appeal is made to road users to note and comply with the advance warning signs and speed restrictions when travelling across the bridge past the maintenance work. Motorists are encouraged to plan their trips accordingly, and to make provision for the additional travel time imposed due to Stop/Go situations on the bridge.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Road closure along R61 near Mthatha

Eastern Cape, 13 October 2023: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to notify travellers that the R61 near Efata School for the Blind and Deaf in Mthatha will be closed on Sunday, 29 October 2023, for approximately five hours, from 10am until 3pm.

The closure will be approximately 7km west of Mthatha CBD towards Ngcobo Town.
The road will be closed to allow the lifting and loading of the bridge deck onto the lowbed. The lifting will take place from 10am until 3pm on the same day. The lowbed will then transport the bridge deck to the designated laydown area where all the repairs will take place.
Temporary information sign boards and all other speed limiting temporary signs for the closure will be placed along the construction zone.

The contractor’s traffic safety officer and another safety officer will be present for the duration of this activity. Flag personnel will be placed in various locations along the R61 only.

Motorist are advised to use the N2 to Idutywa Town and the R408 to access Ngcobo Town and surrounding areas on the R61.
“Motorists are requested to plan their trips accordingly, consider alternative routes and use caution when making use of the roads,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Regional Manager.
SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused.

MEDIA RELEASE
Flood damage repairs underway to open N2 at Botrivier soonest

Western Cape, 15 October 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) would like to update road users on the status of repairs to the N2 section 2 at Botrivier, where a portion of the road washed away when the Bot River burst its banks during the recent heavy rains experienced in the Western Cape. The N2 remains closed in Botrivier where elevated water levels continue to impact this section of the road, posing a hazard to motorists.

Repair works are currently underway, with earthmoving equipment already on site. The first order of business, was for the contractor to re-channel the river along its original waterway, in order to gain access to the portion of the N2 that was washed away. This involved digging trenches and bringing in rockfill materials.

To date the first two layers of rockfill have successfully been laid and the erosion gap effectively closed. Ons Wednesday, roughly 600m³ of rockfill was laid, followed by 1 300m³ on Thursday and 1000m³ on Friday. A further 750m³ on Saturday 14 October 2023.
The team has been working under extended hours until at least 22h00 every night since repairs began a week ago, and have continued to work throughout the weekend.
“We hope to complete the repairs over the next four or so weeks, and provide thoroughfare access as soon as possible. We remain hopeful that no further rains will hamper progress with repairs,” said Randall Cable, SANRAL’s Western Region Manager.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY

TEMPORARY SHOULDER AND SLOW LANE CLOSURE ON N3 SOUTHBOUND AT CLIFFDALE ROAD BRIDGE

Durban, 9 October 2023 – The shoulder and slow lane on the National Route 3 (N3) Southbound (towards Durban) will be temporary closed on 17 October 2023 between the hours of 20h00 to 05h00 and 18 October 2023 between the hours of 20h00 to 05h00 to facilitate the placing of concrete barriers under the Cliffdale Road bridge. This forms part of the construction process for the construction of a temporary on-ramp to the N3 from Cliffdale Road, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced.

“The intermittent temporary lane closures will take place from the Cliffdale Road bridge (Km 1.7 S) to 600m after the Cliffdale Road bridge (Km 1.1 S). The Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), with the assistance of the contractors’ traffic accommodation team, will manage and monitor the traffic. The temporary ramp is required to help manage and ease traffic congestion during the construction of the N3 from Key Ridge to Hammarsdale interchange,” said Jason Lowe, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.

The temporary lane closures on the N3 will take place as follows:

17 October 2023

20h00 to 04h30 – Close the shoulder and slow lane on the N3 Durban-bound and place concrete barriers on the road edge.

04h30 to 05h00 – Reopen the shoulder and slow lanes on the N3 Durban-bound for all vehicles.

18 October 2023

20h00 to 04h30 – Close the shoulder and slow lane on the N3 Durban-bound and place concrete barriers on the road edge.

04h30 to 05h00 – Reopen the shoulder and slow lanes on the N3 Durban-bound for all vehicles.

The placing of concrete barriers will occur on the N3 road edge with off-loading equipment occupying the shoulder and slow lanes. Traffic will be flowing in the middle and fast lanes during the placing of the concrete barriers.

“The closure may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions on the day. If that happens, a second notice with information of the new time will be issued. Motorists are urged to be patient during the closures and to plan and adjust their route trips to ensure they arrive at their destinations on time while adhering to sign posted speed limits. SANRAL apologises to the motoring public for any inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience during road construction,” Lowe.

Motorists are urged to proceed with caution and adhere to the speed limits.