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MEDIA STATEMENT

 

MEDIA RELEASE
SANRAL TO PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN IMPROVING ROADS IN MPUMALANGA

Tuesday, 13 June 2023 – The improvement of Mpumalanga’s road network is set to be intensified with Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga announcing various maintenance and upgrade programmes to be implemented throughout the province.

During her ministerial oversight visit to Mpumalanga, Chikunga highlighted the importance of the continued improvement of municipal and provincial roads to help bolster economic development.
“We’ve brought together all spheres of government to address the state of municipal and provincial roads in Mpumalanga,” she said.

According to the mayors of many of the province’s municipalities, roads managed by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) were in a far better condition. As such, Chikunga announced that the province had been encouraged to identify strategic roads that could be handed over to be managed by SANRAL.

“We’ve requested the province to identify strategic roads as well as gravel roads to be handed over to SANRAL,” she said. “These will include roads that lead to heritage and tourism sites, along with roads that connect the province to neighbouring countries.”

Of Mpumalanga’s 39 000km road network, about 2 400km is currently being managed by SANRAL. Chikunga stated that while the process of identifying these strategic roads was already underway, it needed to be intensified to help the National Department of Transport plan.

In August last year, Operation Vala Zonke was launched in Mpumalanga. While Minister Chikunga lauded its success in the province, she also stated that there was still a need to intensify its implementation.

Operation Vala Zonke resulted in the patching of 209 996 square metres of potholes and resealing of a further 516 730 square metres during the previous financial year. This year the Provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport plans to patch 142 000 square metres of potholes and reseal another 1 150 000 square metres.

“Where we’re able to reseal or rehabilitate the road, we will do so, but where we’re hindered due to budget constraints, we will intensify the patching of potholes so that roads are usable,” confirmed the Minister.

Mpumalanga’s strategic location has seen it emerge as an important route for the passage of heavy-duty freight vehicles which has had a severe impact on the condition of the province’s roads.

In addressing this, Chikunga encouraged the province to identify roads for the Adopt-A-Road Campaign in terms of which the Department would lobby the private sector to assume responsibility for the maintenance of those haulage routes.
“We will engage mining companies, road freight companies and other industries to adopt certain roads, those roads will remain public roads but will be maintained by private companies as they are contributors to the rapid degradation of those roads,” she said.

In a continued effort to ensure the improvement of Mpumalanga’s roads, the province will receive R1.4 billion from the National Treasury in the form of the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant. Seventy-five percent of this grant is to be used for the maintenance of roads while the remaining 25% is to be allocated towards construction and upgrades.

Public Works, Roads and Transport MEC, Mandla Ndlovu, welcomed the Minister’s intervention, adding that the province had allocated R405 million towards the rehabilitation and upgrading of the strategic road network in the province during the current financial year.
“We’ll continue working with the national department as well as other stakeholders to ensure that our roads are maintained at an acceptable standard, we also urge all road users to support us by respecting all the rules and regulations of the road,” said Ndlovu.

 

Partial road closure of the N1, Section 21, both Northbound and Southbound

Friday, 2 June 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to inform motorists that partial road closures are scheduled to take place along the N1 national road, Section 21, between Kosmosdal Samrand Interchange and Rooihuiskraal Interchange, in Midrand, Gauteng Province per the detailed table below:

	Dates	Starting Time	Ending Time	Area/ Location
Commence Date:	Saturday, 10 June 2023	06h00	18h00	Midrand
End Date:	Sunday, 11 June 2023	06h00	12h00	Midrand

Dates Starting Time Ending Time Area/ Location Commence Date: Saturday, 10 June 2023 06h00 18h00 Midrand End Date: Sunday, 11 June 2023 06h00 12h00 Midrand

These partial road closures are required to allow Eskom to perform essential work necessary to install new overhead transmission power lines and a conductor which supplies electricity to the area. SANRAL advises that only daytime closures will be applied on Saturdays from 6am to 6pm, and Sundays from 6am and 12pm. The lanes will be closed in stages for a short period of around 30 minutes, however, complete closure will be required when cables are dragged across the road.

The closures may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions on the day. If needed, a second advisory with information on the new times will be issued.

SANRAL warns that these partial closures may introduce disruptions to the normal travel times for motorists travelling in the afternoon, resulting in delays towards the evening.

Detours have also been identified and will be signposted. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police (JMPD) and Tshwane Metropolitan Police (TMPD) officials will be deployed to monitor and manage traffic and ensure minimal disruptions. Motorists will be diverted via the R101 for the detour route (Please see attached diagram)

Motorists are advised to plan their trips accordingly, consider the alternative routes recommended and practise caution when using the roads.

SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused during this period and will continue to provide updates to road users as information becomes available. The agency takes seriously its mandate from government to manage and maintain the national road network. In so doing, the safety and wellbeing of road users and the communities in which it operates are paramount.

Thanks to SANRAL, Limpopo women are now doing it for themselves

Friday, 2 June 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has paved the path to progress for women contractors in Limpopo with the upgrading of the narrow R37 road between Burgersfort and Polokwane.

Local SMME Tinyosi Investment was facing closure when owner Mmamorena Tlakale secured a subcontracting opportunity with the roads agency.

Registered in 2020, the Mashifane Park, Burgersfort, business struggled to take off and desperately needed a contract to stay open.

Said Tlakale: “The business was on the verge of collapse. Through this project, I have gained knowledge in the construction industry and skills in cement work.

“SANRAL also taught me the proper way of bidding, professionalism, and quality control. Thanks to all this, I’m gaining ground in the construction industry.”

Tlakale said the R37 upgrade was her first project and Tinyosi Investment is tasked with cement work on site.

“I would not be where I am today if it was not for SANRAL’s assistance and the training opportunities available to women contractors. I would like to see more women in construction. The support we get from men in the industry is fantastic. The perception that this is a man’s job is changing.
“During my younger years I helped mix the cement to build my family house not knowing I would end up in the construction industry. I love being outdoors and encourage women to pursue construction as a career,” said Tlakele.

An integral part of SANRAL’s Transformation Policy is the opening of doors for stakeholders, local small businesses, communities and business forums on all its national road projects.

Priority is given to black-owned SMMEs that have not done business with SANRAL in the past, with added focus on the empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities.

The agency allocates 30% of every contract to local SMMEs to empower and grow small businesses in the region of any said project. In addition, SMMEs that work with SANRAL are also afforded various skills development and training benefits for the duration of their sub-contract.

Bogaleng Thsehla, of BMT Royal Kid Laundry and Projects (Pty) LTD, created jobs for 27 people with her first-time sub-contract with SANRAL.
The River-cross mother-of-two started on the R37 project in 2022 on a CIDB Level 1 rating but very soon achieved Level 3.

She was very vocal about the benefits of SANRAL’s SMME training and development programme.

“The project’s scope also includes building sidewalks from intersections to bus bays, the construction of two new bridges and the widening of one other bridge,” said Viljoen.
“The existing single-carriageway road will be improved and new intersections will be established by building six roundabouts at the major intersections. This project aims to improve the safety of pedestrians. The final road section will have four lanes, surfaced shoulders and a painted island.”
The tender value for the R37 upgrade is about R600 million and work is expected to be completed by November.

Media Release

 

Blasting scheduled at the MR 0688 and MR 0690 in eQonce

Eastern Cape, 22 May 2023: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to advise travellers that controlled blasting is scheduled to take place at the corner of the MR 0688 and MR 0690 in eQonce (formerly King Williams Town) at 3pm on Thursday, 25 May 2023.
The MR 0688 and MR 690 are currently closed.

The alternative routes through eQonce are as follows:
• Motorists travelling from East London on the N2 into eQonce will not be affected.
• Motorists travelling from Bhisho to East London may take the R63 to eQonce then proceed to the N2 to East London.

“Motorists are asked to plan their trips accordingly and to use caution when making use of the roads. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Regional Manager.