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MEDIA RELEASE
SANRAL reminds motorists to take regular breaks when on the long road

Thelma Sishuba with her husband, Hope, and their son, Iminathi, took a break before heading back on the long road.
Eastern Cape, 21 December 2022: As road users make their way to their holiday destinations, SANRAL engaged road users at the Nanaga Farm Stall and the Nanaga Express Garage to remind them that fatigue and drunk driving are some of the major reasons for crashes on the road.

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL), through its Road Safety One campaign, reminds motorists to take regular breaks when travelling over a long distance and warns of the dangers of drinking and driving.

In addition to road safety, SANRAL in the Southern Region also reminded road users of the importance of waste management on the road.

“We remind road users not to litter while traveling. Road users must use the bins placed at rest stops along the different routes,” Nenekazi Songxaba, SANRAL Southern Region’s Environmental Coordinator.
“The bins are there for people to discard their waste. We also encourage them to talk to their children about waste management and recycling,” Songxaba said.

SANRAL visited the Nanaga Express Garage and Farm Stall to share road safety tips with motorists and pedestrians.
“Be mindful of other drivers and pedestrians on the road. If you are tired, pull over and rest, especially on the long road. There is no point of rushing to get to your destination,” said Thelma Sishuba, who was travelling from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) to Makhanda (Grahamstown).

Simphiwe Latile, who was traveling from Cradock to Gqeberha, said it was important to obey the rules on the road. “I encourage motorists to drive at normal speed because rushing on the road can cause crashes,” said Latile.
He works as an auxiliary social worker for the Department of Social Development and said rest stops along the different routes are very important. “When you travel long distance pull over at a rest stop when you are tired. Falling asleep while driving can be fatal,” said Latile.

Police Sergeant Xolisile Gongqa enjoys Simphiwe Latile encourages motorists a head and shoulder massage before to take regular breaks when driving driving on the long road. Long distance.

Police Sergeant Xolisile Gongqa was traveling from Cape Town to Makhanda. He stopped at the SANRAL stand for a much-needed head and shoulder massage. “It is so important to take regular breaks on the road. Stop, pull over and take a break. Also stay hydrated, this has been my secret to traveling safe for the past 18 years from Cape Town to Grahamstown,” said Gongqa.
Zoleka Mbusha said road safety education was important. “It is important for people to be reminded to wear their seatbelts and to keep a safe distance on the road,” she said. She was traveling from Cradock to Gqeberha with family and friends.
SANRAL’s campaign engagements take place throughout the year. However, during the holiday period the agency increases its road safety activities.

“We appeal to road users to be patient on the road. Keep a safe travel distance and remember to maintain the speed limit. Also, buckle up. Road safety does not only apply during the holiday period but throughout the year,” said Welekazi Ndika, SANRAL Southern Region’s Stakeholder Coordinator.

Stop-and-go section on R61 from Engcobo towards Mthatha

Eastern Cape, 20 December 2022: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) wishes to advise travellers that there is a stop-and-go section on the R61 Section 6 from km 76.2, about 12 kilometres Eastwards from Engcobo towards Mthatha.

The stop-and-go has been put in place because of a slope failure. There are no nearby alternative routes.  Motorists will have to wait for approximately 10 minutes at the stop-and-go. One lane will remain open.

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

MEDIA RELEASE

Work starts on Msikaba Bridge deck

Eastern Cape, 15 December 2022: Work has started on the Msikaba Bridge deck, and it took three trucks to transport the first steel-bridge deck segment in three sections from Middelburg in Mpumalanga, and three to five hours to offload each segment at the bridge near Lusikisiki.

The 580m Msikaba Bridge will cross the 195m deep Msikaba river gorge and once completed, will be the longest span cable-stayed suspension bridge in South Africa and the second longest in Africa after the 680m Maputo-Catembe Bridge in Mozambique. The anticipated completion date is the end of 2024, according to the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL).

The bridge located approximately 23km east of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, forms part of the backbone of the greenfields portion of the N2 Wild Coast Road project (N2WCR) – a national priority under the coordination and direction of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC) and one of government’s 18 Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) to support economic development and address service delivery in the poorest provinces.

The bridge deck is the part of the bridge that will hang out over the gorge that traffic will drive on, to cross from one side to the other.

“This is quite a milestone. For a cable-stay bridge, a huge amount of work precedes the construction of the bridge deck itself. Much of which is hidden from sight. The pier includes its major foundations to support the downward pressure from the cables, as well as the abutment and gallery next to the piers, this is where the deck starts and is joined to the base of the pier. The two massive anchor blocks on each side, each half a soccer field long and buried four storeys into the ground, all must be substantially complete before work on the deck extending out over the gorge can start,” explained Craig McLachlan, SANRAL’s N2WCR Project Manager.

The second segment will be transported from Mpumalanga to Msikaba in January.

The entire deck comprises 36 segments, with 18 segments on each side. Each segment is made up of two box girders and two truss girders. It takes three trucks to transport each segment and in total it will take 108 truck delivery trips, including four abnormal loads for the four boxes for segment zero at North and South sites.

Segment zero on each side is not connected to any cables but is attached to the abutment and supported from below until it is connected upward to segment 1. Segments 1 to 17 on each side each have two cables (attached one on either side). Each box segment will be supported or held up via these two cables leading up to the 127m high pier with two corresponding cables connected back down to the anchor blocks.

The assembly of the segments is not an easy task.

“With the exception of segment zero which can be assembled in situ, each segment will be assembled on the bank, then carried between the legs, launched out above the gorge, rotated 90 degrees, brought back and attached to the proceedings segment, or for the first segment to the embankment. The segment then has two cables attached, one on each side. The cable is attached to the spire and another corresponding set attached to the anchor block. A thin steel and concrete composite deck is then cast. The process is repeated till the decks meet in the middle,” said McLachlan.

To somewhat simplify the complicated forces involved, it can be understood that through the cables the mass of the deck (and the cables themselves) will pull forwards and downwards on the top of pier, the deck itself will push backwards into the base of the pier. The cables attached in turn, from the pier to the anchor blocks will pull backwards and downwards on the piers to partially counteract these forces. Therefore, logically the piers and the pier foundations must be strong enough to support both the downwards and horizontal components of these forces.

All steel used to manufacture the material for the deck is 100% South African.

The deck segments are being constructed (cut and welded) in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

The first four big boxes will be transported using abnormal loads, but the girders and remaining boxes can be delivered using normal trucks.

“There are “no abnormal load” restrictions through KwaZulu-Natal over most of December hence the second box can only be delivered in January.

When joined together, the two large boxes on each side of the deck segments will form two separate 290m long box girders that provide the longitudinal support and stiffness for each half the bridge. This means there will be a joint at the midpoint of the bridge so each half of the 580m long bridge are independent structures.

The smaller truss girders linking the boxes are stiff compound steel structures that provide the main cross support between the longitudinal box girders and provide twisting stiffness or rigidity. Together the longitudinal box girders and cross truss girders form a very large ladder shaped steel structure upon which the (combination steel and reinforced concrete) deck plate lies and upon which the four-lane highway will run.

Once completed the Msikaba Bridge will play a crucial role in improving travel time, connecting previously divided communities in the region, and opening opportunities in business and community-based tourism for the Wild Coast.

The completed road will improve the travel time between Durban and East London by up to three hours for heavy freight and, by providing a high mobility route through an area that is extremely isolated and under-served by road infrastructure, the route will have significant social and economic benefits and will act as a catalyst for local and regional development.

 

MEDIA RELEASE

Uthongathi and Umhlali Bridge repairs to start in January 2023

KZN, December 14 2022 – The contracts for the rehabilitation of the M4 Bridge Uthongathi and N2 Umhlali River Bridge will be awarded in January 2023, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced.

“The tender evaluations were completed in December 2022 and we have submitted the memo to the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) for approval. BAC has informed us that the awards are waiting for Pro-active assurance before they can be finalised. The award may only take place early in the new year. Construction is expected to take four months on N2 Umhlali River Bridge and two months on Uthongathi,” said Trevor Zumani, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager.

The M4 Umdloti River Bridge was constructed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the KwaZulu Natal Department of Transport (KZN DoT) jointly. SANRAL assisted KZN DoT on other repairs on the M4 except the Umdloti River Bridge.

“Due to the recent failures, SANRAL has been requested to assist KZN DoT with capacity and we have already made repairs on the northbound carriageway and resuming the repairs on the southbound direction if weather permits. Please note that these are just the holding measures while awaiting the full Capex Project for more permanent repairs which will resume early next year,” Zumani said.

SANRAL wishes all road users a safe holiday season and a prosperous 2023.

 

MEDIA RELEASE

SANRAL road maintenance projects bring joy of jobs and smooth roads to

Kroonstad this festive season

Free State, 12 December 2022 – Empowering women and young South Africans is a key focus of the Routine Road Management (RRM) projects run by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL). The projects create stimulating job opportunities for black-owned SMMEs, identified from within the areas of work, and specifically target groups such as women, youth, people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups – in line with SANRAL’s transformation goals.

Through a plethora of development and engineering programmes, ordinary people receive invaluable training and skills transfer – which can then be paid forward to build better lives for themselves. RRM projects starting up in Kroonstad, in the Free State, were welcomed like Manna from heaven, especially with the festive season looming large. The rampant poverty in Kroonstad bears stark testament to the town’s staggering 65% unemployment rate. SANRAL’s interventions in Kroonstad, and the Free State at large, not only bring the joy of jobs to the province, but they also mean that the roads around Kroonstad, expected to be teeming with tourists driving the Lion Route this holiday season, will also be in excellent condition.

Civil engineer Youthful Sesele, 34, was recently awarded a maintenance contract to do RRM work on the N1 along the Kroonstad by-pass.

He employed 13 local people on the project: 10 men and 3 women. Of the 13 workers, 10 were young people. “I am from Mangaung; when I got the contract in the Fezile Dabi District, I decided to hire locals from the area so that they could fully benefit from the opportunity,” Sesele said. Sesele said he was impressed by how SANRAL engaged SMMEs, hosting several business engagement sessions to share information and provide the training needed to correctly bid for the subcontracting opportunities available on the RRM projects.

“This has been critical in ensuring the development of black-owned businesses, particularly those owned by women and youth, to participate meaningfully on

SANRAL projects,” said Sesele. He added that a key focus of engagements was documentation education: common errors when bidding included the submission of expired or non-compliant documents, work packages and work scopes. “Mostly, I was fascinated by the training and skills development for the appointed subcontractors, which included among other things, first-aid training and occupational health and safety.

“I know of no other company that will offer you such an opportunity and assist you with the training of your personnel in such ways – as a prerequisite of the contract,” said Sesele.

Nomutu Msibi, 37, of MJNJ Construction, who was recently a drainage and culvert cleaning and litter collection subcontract on the R34 between Kroonstad and Welkom, could barely contain her excitement. “I am proud that this project has helped me to create work for five people in an area where almost 65% of youth are unemployed. This project will uplift young people and create much-needed jobs.”

Deon Breytenbach of QTC Civils, the contracts manager on the Kroonstad project, broke down how the SMME engagements worked: “Business owners attended business management, tendering skills and financial management training. “This led to the creation of sustainable, capable and empowered road construction SMMEs and startups.” Breytenbach added the scope of work for the CIDB Grades 1 and 2 – entry-level work – included cleaning and maintaining of prefabricated culverts, concrete drains and channels, edge build-up removal, collection and removal of debris and litter, subsoil drain installation and maintenance, cleaning of waterway structures, erection and repair of permanent road traffic signs, concrete channel construction and maintenance of existing channels.

SANRAL’s SMME training programmes on three Kroonstad RRM projects empowered 12 local business owners of construction SMMEs and new startups (CIDB levels 1 – 3). SANRAL has appointed highly experienced and qualified training service providers tasked with training, mentoring and developing learner sub-contractors. SANRAL also prepared local labour forces for these SMMEs by training them and, in turn, helping create a local skilled and semi-skilled labour force for the three Kroonstad projects. SMMEs that employed their own labour from local communities were also supported as their labour forces received accredited training.

During the year under review SANRAL provided 1 684 SMMEs with work on construction, rehabilitation and maintenance projects across South Africa to the tune of R2,3 billion. The majority of black-owned SMMEs derived significant benefit from this, as they accounted for 88.05% of the contracts awarded and 89.6% of the value of the work performed.

Of the 9 129 jobs created in the reporting period, 6 647 were for men and 2 482 for women. A breakdown based on age reveals that 3 096 young men and 1 339 young women were beneficiaries. From a disability perspective, 62 people with disabilities were employed. In terms of SANRAL’s contract participation goals, the aim for targeted enterprises is 30%, which includes women and youth-owned businesses at 5% each, and the military veterans and people with disabilities each get 0,5%.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Immediate

Burman off-ramp closed in Gqeberha

 

Eastern Cape, 8 December 2022: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) wishes to advise travellers that the Burman off-ramp in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) has been closed and will reopen on Thursday, 15 December 2022 at 3pm.

The off-ramp will be closed due to roadworks.

The alternative route for motorists coming from the N2 and the M4 would be Grahamstown Road via John Tallant interchange on the N2.

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

MEDIA STATEMENT
SANRAL to invest R1,2 billion in one of the poorest areas in South Africa

Eastern Cape, 29 November 2022 – Residents in Cedarville, in the Matatiele Municipality, have welcomed the R1.2-billion project by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited to upgrade the R56 road that links the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
The prospects of opportunities for jobs, learning new skills and earning a living have excited residents in villages around Matatiele. A total of R360-million would be ring-fenced and spent on local contractors, subcontractors and service providers, with an emphasis on women and youth.

Hundreds of community members gathered at Cedarville Multi-Purpose Sport Complex yesterday for the official introduction of the main contractor, Down Touch Investment, and to hear for themselves from SANRAL and other government officials how they would benefit from the project that has already been described as a “game changer” for the economy of the region.

Down Touch Investment, a South African company, was awarded the contract on 31 October 2022. The project entails rehabilitation, upgrading and widening the R56 from Matatiele to KwaZulu Natal border with Eastern Cape – a total of about 38 km.

Work on the project is expected to start in March 2023 and would run for three years and seven months. It is estimated that it would create more than 500 jobs and more than 100 local small and medium contractors will benefit from the project.
Both Cedarville and Matatiele are in the jurisdiction of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, the smallest and one of the poorest districts in the province of Eastern Cape and the whole of South Africa.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula told the gathering that the project would create jobs, lead to upskilling of young people, women and people with disabilities.

Mbalula said everything would be put in place to ensure that legitimate local businesses were the main beneficiaries of the project.
His sentiments were echoed by Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, who said the local people have been yearning for such a huge project.

“This project is an important game-changer. This is one of the poorest areas in all of South Africa, yet it has so much potential. This area is our foremost agricultural industrial hub and we need to invest in the local infrastructure.

“We need to bring greener pastures here so that our youth will not go and languish in towns and cities to look for greener pastures. This is one of the projects that will bring greener pastures closer to our people,” Mabuyane said.
He urged local people to jealously guard this project from construction mafia who are intent at derailing the project for their own selfish interests. “This project must be on time and on budget,” he added.

James Luthuli, a councillor for Ward 26, said the road upgrade would lessen the high levels of accidents and they have been assured that SANRAL would build bridges so that people and livestock do not cross the road and disrupt traffic.
Clive Arries, SANRAL’s project manager for the R56 upgrade, said everything was done to ensure that local communities and local businesses associations were consulted and were on board throughout the course of the project.
He said once the upgrade has been completed, traffic would move smoothly.

“This is one of our biggest projects. I think it is long overdue. Back in 2015 we appointed consultants to design and make a drawing and other specifications. It took them about two years. In 2017 we were ready to advertise this contract. There were many other hiccups and later there was a delay because of COVID-19. The commencement date is in March but the contractor will be on site in late January and start consulting with other stakeholders and community members.

The managing director of Down Touch Investment, Michael Welsh, said his company was confident of delivering on the project on time and on budget.

“This is one of the most critical roads of the country and we understand the urgency of getting ready and on standard in time so that we minimise disruption of traffic.“We are going to be sourcing most of the workers from the local communities. It is only the specialist skills that we are going to be sourcing from elsewhere,” he said.

Mama Greta Mfene, a 64-year-old resident of Cedarville, said many people in her area were poor and unemployed. “Our people must benefit, our people must get job opportunities. There are many young people who are losing hope of getting employment. They end up doing drugs and alcohol and teenage girls end up getting pregnant. We hope that this project will change all of this because our youth will get job opportunities. Yanda Nkomo, a 28-year-old resident, said she has lived all her life in the area but has not seen any project that would employ locals.
“I hope that I will get a job here so that I can look after my child and also assist in supporting my family,” she said.

MEDIA STATEMENT

Africa’s record, South Africa’s pride: Mtentu Bridge will help local communities build mega dreams

Eastern Cape, 29 November 2022 – In four months, work will start on what is expected to be Africa’s tallest bridge, the Mtentu Bridge, which will run across the Mtentu River in Mbizana in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Municipality, rising 223m into the Eastern Cape sky.

Introducing the contractor behind the mammoth construction project at an event on Monday, national Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula and officials from the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) spelt out to surrounding communities how more than R1-8-billlion of the total R4.05-billion cost had been ring-fenced for local SMMEs.

SANRAL awarded the tender to the Chinese Communications Construction Company (CCCC)-MECSA joint venture, after it was cancelled in May and re-advertised for fresh bidding. Construction is expected to start in March 2023, creating 2 500 full time equivalent jobs.

“Over R1.8-billion will be expended on targeted local enterprises. This will be derived from the subcontracting to be undertaken by the main contractor on the bridge structure, as well as the construction of associated roads.

“Three local community access roads will be built as labour, enhanced training programmes, and the local provincial gravel road network leading from the R61 will be improved and maintained in order to allow access to the site by the many vehicles and heavy freight required for construction,” the minister said.

Minister Mbalula was accompanied by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.

Minister Mbalula said residents would benefit from jobs and skills transfer through the project. He said about R141m would be paid in salaries to local labour and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) will benefit to the tune of about R1.8bn.
He said in addition to economic benefits, the Mtentu Bridge would also bring communities together.
“We appreciate communities for their commitment and willingness to work with government. I want to encourage all communities of the Wild Coast to embrace the
opportunities that come with government’s major infrastructure projects,” Mbalula added.

He said: “It prides me that we are gathered after having traversed a long journey to the reinstating of a contractor to this site.”
Premier Mabuyane urged communities to support the development which “is meant to change people’s lives and the socioeconomic conditions of our province”.

The premier said there would be many more opportunities in tourism and in the oceans’ economy once the bridge was built.
The Mtentu Bridge forms part of the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) project, which Is SANRAL’s flagship project in the Eastern Cape.

The N2WCR project comprises a 410km route running from the Gonubie Interchange in East London to the Mtamvuna River on the border of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, near Port Edward

The N2WCR is strategically positioned on the N2 route which connects four provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga – running through the cities of Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha, Durban and Ermelo.

Minister Mbalula said the entire N2WCR project would create approximately 8 000 direct full-time jobs, with a wage bill of around R750-million and between 21 000 and 28 000 indirect jobs.

Mtentu is the second mega bridge on N2WCR plan and, together with the Msikaba Bridge, would form part of the 112 kilometres of new highway between Port St Johns and Port Edward.
Once complete, about seven interchanges and various access roads would ensure a faster and safer travel experience for local and international tourists around the Wild Coast.

Minister Mbalula said he was considering a request from the Eastern Cape provincial government for the Mtentu Bridge to be named after local political legend, Khumani Anderson Ganyile.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY

PHASE 1 REPAIRS TO THE N2 AMANZIMTOTI SET FOR COMPLETION JUST IN TIME BEFORE THE FESTIVE SEASON BEGINS

Pietermaritzburg, 2 December 2022 – Phase 1 repairs to restore mobility on the N2 Amanzimtoti northbound carriageway are set to be completed in the week commencing 5 December 2022, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has announced.

“The contract to fix the N2 Amanzimtoti is still out on tender. The repairs that are being completed in the week starting 5 December 2022 is temporary routine road maintenance (RRM) work to keep traffic flowing on both lanes of the northbound carriageway,” said Trevor Zumani, SANRAL’s Eastern Region Project Manager. The damage on the N2 Amanzimtoti occurred on 3 April 2022 and, while SANRAL was conducting in-depth investigations and preparing for the necessary designs and repairs to this failure, KwaZulu-Natal experienced floods from 11 to 13 April 2022, which resulted in minor and major failures throughout the network. “The completion of the works depend on good weather as delays will be encountered if it rains,” said Zumani.

SANRAL apologises for the inconvenience caused to motorists.