The R512 is key to economic development

Road infrastructure is key for social and economic development of any country. Linking two of South Africa’s economic blossoming provinces, Gauteng and the North West, is the R512 which is currently under construction by SANRAL.

SANRAL has invested in excess of R300m for the construction of the road which stretches from the R512 to the west of the Hartbeespoort Dam, through Pampoennek, eventually connecting with the N4 to Rustenburg. Some of the funds will be invested into the local community as part of SANRAL’s commitment to community and local business development.

According to Alex van Niekerk, Planning, Toll and Transport Manager at SANRAL, the project was expected to be completed in December 2019. This date may, however, change slightly due to some terrain which required unique engineering interventions to deliver a safe and successful project.

“The project goes through a mountain where there’s a major cutting through the mountain.

The aesthetics of this project have been carefully considered to maximise the blending in of the construction works with the natural fauna and flora in the area.

The cut faces are blended in to tie into the surroundings,” says Van Niekerk.This was achieved through slope stabilisation installed on the cut faces which was then covered with concrete that was finished in such a way as to mimic the natural rock faces.

There is also a game underpass which is to be used when needed by wildlife to cross underneath the newly constructed road.

The structure has a height of 5.6m to allow sufficient natural light through the tunnel which will

encourage the wildlife to use the underpass, says Van Niekerk.

Currently, the project is approximately 68% complete with regards to expenditure and 80% complete in terms of time. The new expected completion date will be around March 2020.

Once completed, road users can look forward to a much safer road which will allow for efficient mobility and with no toll costs.


New maintenance projects in the North West

New routine road maintenance (RRM) projects in the North West have been configured to be in line with SANRAL’s new Transformation Policy which seeks to remove barriers of entry to black businesses. The national road network traverses all four district municipalities in the province with a total of approximately 2438 kilometres – excluding the N4 Bakwena Platinum freeway.

SANRAL has decided to increase the number of RRM projects from the current seven to fourteen. The current projects stretch across many local municipalities and are bigger in terms of size. The new model introduces slightly smaller projects that will be confined within local municipal boundaries as far as practically possible. This will ensure that communities who live next to the national road network benefit from the projects.

It will also assist with the formation of Project Liaison Committees (PLC) which will be strictly municipal-based. Each new RRM project will be located within one or two local municipalities.

SANRAL has already started with the appointment of consulting engineers who will supervise the projects. This will also assist with the appointment of main contractors. Once the main contractors have been appointed, they will then appoint subcontractors who will be sourced mainly from the local municipalities under the auspices of the PLCs.

Those who are interested in tendering as main contractors must ready themselves and make sure that they are registered with the Construction Industry Development Board at level 7 CE or higher and must also comply with all other statutory requirements. Those who would intend to participate as subcontractors must be registered with the CIDB from level 1 CE to 6 CE.

The following are the new RRM projects in the North West Province:

MUNICIPALITY DESCRIPTION
Rustenburg National Road R24 Section 1 from N4 in Rustenburg to the Gauteng boundary; R52 Section 3 from Koster to N4 in Rustenburg; R30 Section 9 from Tlokwe municipal boundary to Olifantsnek
Lekwa Teemane / Mamusa National Road R34 Section 1 from Naledi Municipal boundary to Schweizer-Reneke; R34 Section 2 from Schweizer-Reneke to Bloemhof; R34 Section 3 from Bloemhof to North West/Free State boundary; N12 Sections 11 & 12 from the NW/Free State boundary to Bloemhof; and N12 Section 14 from Bloemhof to Maquassi Hills municipal boundary
Madibeng National Road R511 Sections 2 & 3 from Gauteng boundary to Limpopo boundary; R512 Section 2 & 3 from Gauteng boundary to Brits; N4 Section 12 from Broederstroom via Pampoennek to the N4 Bakwena freeway
City of Matlosana National Road R503 Section 1 from Klerksdorp to Ditsobotla municipal boundary; R30 Sections 7 & 8 from the Free State boundary to Tlokwe municipal boundary; and N12 sections 15 & 16 from Maquassi Hills municipal boundary over Klerksdorp to Tlokwe municipal boundary
Potchefstroom National Road R53 Section 1 from N12 Potchefstroom to Free State boundary; R54 Section 1 from Gauteng boundary to N12 Potchefstroom; R500 Section 1 from Parys to Gauteng boundary; R501 Section 2 & 3 from Free State border to Gauteng boundary; N12 Sections 16 & 17 from the City of Matlosana boundary to Gauteng boundary
Rustenburg / Moses Kotane National Road R510 from Rustenburg to the Limpopo boundary; R556 from R510 Intersection to R565 Intersection; and R565 from Rustenburg to R556 Intersection
Maquassi Hills National Route N12 from Lekwa-Teemane Municipal boundary to Matlosana Municipal boundary; R504 from Wolmaransstad to the Free State boundary; and R505 from Wolmaransstad to Tswaing Municipal boundary
Naledi / Greater Taung National Road N14 from the North West/Northern Cape boundary to Vryburg; N18 from the North West/Northern Cape boundary to Vryburg
Naledi National Road N14 from Vryburg to Tswaing Municipal boundary; N18 from Vryburg to Ratlou Municipal boundary; and R34 from Vryburg to Mamusa Municipal boundary
Tswaing National Road N14 from Naledi Municipal boundary to Ditsobotla Municipal boundary; and R505 from Maquassi Hills Municipal boundary to Ditsobotla Municipal boundary
Mafikeng / Ratlou National Route N18 from the Naledi Municipal boundary post; R49 from Mahikeng to the Ramotshere Moiloa Municipal boundary; and R505 Ditsobotla Municipal boundary to the R49 Intersection
Ditsobotla National Road R52 Section 1 from Biesiesvlei to Lichtenburg; R503 Section 2 from Coligny to Lichtenburg; R505 Section 4 from Wolmaransstad to Ga-Maloka (N14); R505 Section 5 & 6 from Tswaing boundary to Mafikeng boundary; N14 Section 12 from Tswaing municipal boundary to Tlokwe municipal boundary
Ramotshere Moiloa National Road R49 Section 1 from Mahikeng municipal boundary to Zeerust; R49 Section 2 from Zeerust to Kopfontein border gate
JB Marks National Road N14 from Ditsobotla municipal boundary to Gauteng border; R30 from Kaetlengrivier municipal border through Ventersdorp to Matlosana municipal boundary; and R53 from Potchefstroom to Ventersdorp

BUILDING SOUTH AFRICA THROUGH BETTER ROADS

HELLO HELLO NORTH WEST 2019