SANRAL has long recognised that the importance of transport infrastructure to economic growth creates opportunities for private investment in road development and management.   

KwaZulu-Natal has two major ports in Durban and Richards Bay, and the expeditious movement of goods to the rest of South Africa and neighbouring countries is an economic priority.  

The upgrading of the N2 and N3 at a cost of more than R28-billion will ensure that the required infrastructure is built to resolve the traffic congestion currently experienced by providing higher mobility and increased safety.  

The N3 upgrade will boast a four to five-lane freeway per direction on an 80km stretch between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.  

The N2 upgrade will entail a four to five-lane freeway per direction over the 54km route between Amanzimtoti and Dube Tradeport.  

The N3 upgrades will solve bottlenecks between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.  

Fast-tracking empowerment 

To fast-track empowerment in the road construction industry, SANRAL signed memorandum of understanding with suppliers of construction machinery that give small contractors access to these to allow them to participate more meaningfully in major construction projects.  

Thus, new entrants will be attracted to the construction and engineering sectors, particularly black contractors, who will in turn grow their business and create jobs.  

SANRAL has long recognised that the importance of transport infrastructure to economic growth creates opportunities for private investment in road development and management.  

Public Private partnerships (PPPs) are an alternative means of financing and operating the national road network, with the costs being recovered through user charges or tolls. 

The mandate of the N3 Toll Concession which is to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the section of the N3 extending from Cedara in KwaZulu–Natal to Heidelberg in Gauteng has seen millions of Rands being poured into refurbishment and periodic maintenance of this stretch of the N3 to make it operationally more efficient and safer.  

Roads are the arteries through which the economy pulses. By linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals, roads are vital to any development agenda.  

Rutted roads will give a rotten economy. Hence, SANRAL will always ensure that our roads are right and proper to make South Africa grow and develop. 

This is an opinion piece by Skhumbuzo Macozoma, SANRAL CEO.