Work on Polokwane ring road resumes

After some delays, work on the Polokwane ring road project resumed this September after SANRAL appointed Edwin Construction (Pty) Ltd. to continue with construction.

The original contract was awarded to Basil Read but due to liquidity issues and after extensive consultation, they were unable to complete the project.

According to SANRAL’s Northern Region Manager, Progress Hlahla, Edwin Construction will continue on the original contract and not on a new one. “In April 2019, the SANRAL board approved the appointment of the contractor. This is allowed under the terms of the contract if both parties agree. SANRAL, Basil Read and the insurers, Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation of Africa (CGIC), have agreed that the contract will be ceded from Basil Read to Edwin Construction. CGIC will issue a new 10% Performance Bond and are assisting SANRAL to cover and off-set some of the additional administrative and CPA costs.

At a contract value of R226.5m, the remaining work to be carried out by Edwin Construction includes the completion of the new road, widening and strengthening of the old carriageway, completion of the new intersections at the R37 (Lydenburg) and P977 (Silikon) road crossings, bridge structures, culverts, road markings, studs, signage, fencing and drainage. The contractor will also be responsible for cleaning up and finishing off the road reserve, quarries and borrow pits.

“It is our hope that this project will reach completion by November 2020. Its success will increase safety and improve the flow of traffic towards the Polokwane CBD,” says Hlahla.

Project information

Progress on Musina’s ring road

SANRAL is excited to report some progress on the Musina ring road project which began in 2016 and unfortunately came to a halt in March 2018.

Located on the western side of the Musina CBD, the project consists of 8km of new single carriageway roadway with one lane in each direction and paved shoulders. It will function as a freeway with controlled access to and from the N1 highway.

After the original contractor was unable to complete the project due to liquidity issues, the contract was ceded under law to a different contractor. This was done through a guarantor who obtained prices from a number of contractors. After evaluation, the guarantor proposed that the contract be ceded to Raubex.

Raubex’s appointment includes the completion of some earth- and layer works, the bridges and of the newly built houses which will be handed over to community members who will be relocated due to the construction of the road.

Speaking about the impact on SMMEs and local labour, Progress Hlahla, SANRAL’s Northern Region Manager said: “We are trying to ensure that locals and SMME’s who were engaged by the previous contractor can be honoured by the new contractor”.

The duration of the contract for the outstanding works is 24 months and is estimated to end in October 2021.