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Media Release
SANRAL willing to respond to the needs of Mpumalanga stakeholders

Pretoria, 30 March 2022 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is willing to respond to the needs and expectations of stakeholders in Mpumalanga, says Board Chairperson Themba Mhambi.

Mhambi was speaking during the “Taking Sanral to the people” stakeholder engagement session in Secunda in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality on Friday, 25 March 2022. This engagement was in line with SANRAL’s fourth pillar of Stakeholder Relations, which requires stakeholders to be consulted about all project-related activities that affect communities.

During the session stakeholders voiced concerns of formal training for small businesses prior to bidding for projects to ensure that they have an improved chance of procuring the opportunities. Stakeholders also pleaded with SANRAL to first consider local businesses to be appointed as the main contractors for projects since there were far more capable businesses in the area, and only outsource where they don’t meet the requirements.

The chairperson emphasised that all SANRAL projects should have a direct impact on the communities
in the form of jobs, community development and skills training for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

“SANRAL is committed to ensuring that its transformation policy is understood and relevant to the communities in which its projects are operating and ensure that all SMMEs in the affected local municipality are afforded an equal opportunity to tender for projects in the area,” he said.

Mhambi said that SANRAL’s Horizon 2030 Strategy is a pro-active response to deliver on the agency’s vision of a national transport system that will ensure a better South Africa for all. It sets out in detail the strategic objectives and the critical enablers that will make it possible for the roads agency to remain a respected, dynamic and responsive organisation over the years to come.

The Executive Mayor of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, Cllr Nhlakanipho Zuma, welcomed the visit by the roads agency as it will solidify the partnership between the two entities and will help in advancing the link between road infrastructure and the local communities.

“We are a diverse municipality which accommodates all forms of nations. We are an economy with high factors of industrialisation which seeks to attract an average of 3,3% of population growth per year,” he said.

The mayor highlighted the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local economy.

“While we have a population growth of 3,3 %, we are currently sitting at 1% growth of the economy which indicates the state of the livelihoods of our people. Once you have your economic growth sitting beneath the population growth, it means that you are reproducing over elements of poverty and unemployment. Therefore, we appreciate any initiative that will come and advance us,” said Zuma.

The municipality boasts about 998 km of road infrastructure: 505 km are tarred roads and 398 gravel roads which the municipality says it is struggling to maintain to the acceptable standards required.

The municipality is also home to one of the country’s national key points, the Sasol plant, which attracts lots of heavy trucks to the area, meaning the road infrastructure requires maintenance on a frequent basis.

SANRAL projects in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality

SANRAL manages about 2 400km of road infrastructure across the province and has planned a couple of projects throughout the municipality. Some of the key projects earmarked for construction, upgrading and maintenance include:

• The upgrading of the R573 Moloto Road (Thebisile Hani) – the first phase of the project has been completed. More phases will be rolled out in 2022.
• The resurfacing of national route N17 section 02 and section 03 from R29/Springs (km 38.7) to R50/Leandra i/c (km 7.9)
• The resurfacing of national road R33 section 6 from Mkhondo (km 0.0) to Amsterdam (km 34.2)
• There are planned repairs of various structures on national route N12. These projects are in Victor Khanye Local Municipality, and will be split into three parts:
  1. repairs of various structures on national route N12 between Gillooly’s Interchange and Delmas Interchange,
  2. the repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between Delmas and Petroport, and
  3. the repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between from Petroport to Ogies.

The duration of these projects ranges from 10 to 15 months, and they are estimated to cost between R40 million to R50 million each. Opportunities for subcontracting in these projects include concrete pavement repair, drainage and structures improvements, road furniture (road signs, guardrails) and road markings.

Routine Road Maintenance (RRM)

There are currently 10 routine road maintenance (RRM) projects servicing the province. Two more will be awarded before 31 March 2022. There is a Special Maintenance Project along the N17 Section 5 from Chrissiesmeer to km 85 within the Msukaligwa and Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipalities respectively and the project will be completed approximately on 31 March 2023.

SANRAL has approximately 2 500km of road network where maintenance is being done through RRM projects in the province.

Maintenance of the road is an ongoing exercise and is the only consistent activity within the SANRAL road network that is critical in creating jobs for local communities and subcontracting opportunities for targeted businesses on an ongoing basis.

SANRAL will continue to consult with all key stakeholders and partner with provincial and government entities to uplift communities and grow the economy to guarantee a better life for all.

MEDIA RELEASE
Gwaing River Bridge upgrade making steady progress

Western Cape, 25 March 2022 – Work on the upgrade of the Gwaing River Bridge in George is making steady progress with 45 construction workers currently on site. This is after the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) had in December last year confirmed that the contract for the construction of the second bridge over the Gwaing River was assigned (ceding of rights and transfer of obligations) from KPMM Roads and Earthworks to Mamlambo Construction.

On the day the agreement between the two contractors became effective the site and the immediate area experienced exceptionally high rainfall. This resulted in the Gwaing River coming down in a flood. The flood caused significant damage to the temporary work on the bridge construction site, with a large portion of the scaffolding being washed away. Construction commenced earlier this year, with a view to complete the works in 2023.

At present, the priority is to repair the damage that was sustained during the flood, and this requires the removal of the reinforcing steel (inside the temporary formwork) and thereafter the removal of the temporary formwork itself. The formwork on top of the scaffolding is visible from the existing N2. Portions of the scaffolding are to be dismantled and rebuilt before the formwork (and reinforcing steel) can be reinstated on top of it.

In addition to the above mentioned repair work, the contractor is busy with the construction of the stormwater facilities and preparing for the construction of the balustrades on the portion of the completed deck. “Despite all the project setbacks and delays, the project is still within allocated budget. The majority of workers are working underneath the bridge deck which is being constructed and are not visible to road users on the N2. SANRAL remains committed to completing this project and providing the much-needed infrastructure to the required standards and specifications,” said Randall Cable, SANRAL Western Region Manager.

Traffic Advisory 

Road closures on the N1 due to sinkhole rehabilitation: Road Markings

Pretoria, 22 March 2022 – The South African National Road Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) wishes to notify road users to expect road closures on the N1 South bound between N1/R21 (Flying Saucer interchange) and Botha Avenue in Centurion to allow for rehabilitation work on the sinkhole.

The lane closures on the N1 section 21 at Km 22.1 Southbound will be implemented as follows:

• Tuesday 22 March 2022 at 21h00 to Wednesday 23 March 2022 at 04h00.
• Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 21h00 to Thursday, 24 March 2022 at 04h00.
• Thursday, 24 March 2022 at 21h00 to Friday, 25 March 2022 at 04h00.
• Sunday, 27 March 2022 at 21h00 to Monday, 28 March at 04h00.
• Monday, 28 March 2022 at to Tuesday, 29 March 2022 at 04h00.

Progress Hlahla, SANRAL’s Northern Regional Manager, said the closure is required to allow for road marking in the lanes of the southbound carriageway. The reconfiguration of the lanes is required to remark the road which has since been increased from three (3) lanes to four (4) to assist in alleviating traffic congestion.

During this period only two lanes will be open. The duration of the closure will be kept as short as possible.

“Motorists are requested to plan their trips, accordingly, consider alternative routes and use caution when making use of the roads,” said Hlahla.

SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused during this period and will continue to provide updates to road users as information becomes available.

MEDIA STATEMENT

 Evaton West road is NOT a SANRAL road

Pretoria, 17 March 2022 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has noted recent media reports about the Evaton West community expressing their unhappiness at a pothole-ridden road in their central business district (CBD) at Emfuleni Local Municipality in the west of Gauteng Province.

In a news insert on television channel Newzroom Afrika, a community member can be seen expressing his unhappiness about the state of the road, saying that they have reached out to SANRAL to intervene in fixing the potholes, and that SANRAL referred them back to the Emfuleni Local Municipality.

“SANRAL would like to categorically state that the road in question is not a SANRAL road, and that it falls within the jurisdiction of Emfuleni Local Municipality. It is therefore incorrect to state that SANRAL is not doing anything to fix the potholes on that road.

“SANRAL’s distinct mandate has always been to finance, improve, manage and maintain the national road network. The road in question does not fall in that category,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s General Manager for Marketing and Communications.

The conversation pertaining to SANRAL’s management of the national road network also falls against the current national discourse, where certain provincial and regional roads in some parts of the country are in the process of being transferred to SANRAL. It is worth noting that for roads to be transferred to SANRAL, there are processes that first need to be followed in order for those roads to be gazetted.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Immediate
Temporary closure of the R396 between Maclear and Emabeleni township near Tsolo

Eastern Cape, 14 March 2022: The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) would like to notify motorists that the R396 between Maclear and Emabeleni township is temporarily closed due to road works.

“Motorists are requested to plan their trips accordingly, consider alternative routes and apply caution when making use of the roads,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s Southern
Regional Manager.

• Motorists travelling from Kokstad on the N2 to Maclear must proceed to Mthatha and turn right onto the R61, then turn right onto R412 to Ugie and then to Maclear via the
  R56.
• Motorists travelling from Elliot on the R56 to Mthatha must proceed to Ugie and turn right onto the R412 and then turn left to Mthatha via the R61.
• Motorists travelling from Mthatha to Maclear must turn west onto the R61 and go to
  Ugie via the R412.
• The R396 road from Tsolo to Maclear is only suitable for light vehicles. Heavy vehicles must use the N2 or the R61 to Maclear via the R412.

SANRAL apologises for any inconvenience caused.