TWENTY small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) and more than 200 local community members have benefited from a R58m community development project in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality of the Eastern Cape.

Situated in the poverty-stricken Umzimvubu and Ntabankulu local municipalities, this project has brought employment, training and skills development to six rural communities that have experienced first-hand the devastating effects of unemployment. Via a series of theoretical and practical training programmes, local SMMEs and their employees gained meaningful employment on SANRAL-led construction sites, while also advancing their CIDB grading levels – expanding their opportunities in the construction industry.

Over R55m has been spent on training and construction management services for the construction of community access roads and pedestrian facilities along the N2 between Mt Frere and the Ngcweleni River.

The project benefited six rural communities of Bhaca, Xesibe and Mpondo people. In order to provide local communities with the opportunity to improve their construction skills and gain the work experience needed to improve CIBD gradings, SANRAL undertook a community development project focused on recruiting and training 20 100% black-owned SMMEs.

After the theoretical training, the SMMEs were contracted to complete various works packages related to the construction of the access road and pedestrian facilities. The construction formed part of the practical component of the community development and training programme.

Employing a minimum of 10 locals each, all 20 SMMEs were given the opportunity to work on an approximately 400m of community access roads. During the construction phase, they were provided with further on-site training and mentoring. The quality of their work was assessed and moderated. All the SMMEs completed their allocated work within the contract period and SANRAL-appointed consultants are assisting the qualifying SMMEs to improve their CIDB gradings.

SANRAL Project Manager Thabiso Ngozwana said: “Simply by working on this project, the participating SMMEs have increased the value of the projects they are eligible to tender for in the future. This has far-reaching implications for their success and the livelihoods of their employees.”

Although the construction of the community access roads and related pedestrian facilities is complete, some aspects of the training are still under way. The project is expected to be completed on 22 September 2018.

“This community development initiative was and continues to be a success. There were no delays on the project and the communities are using the access roads and pedestrian facilities. Not only that, the SMMEs working on this project were upskilled, improved their CIDB gradings and increased their chances of future work.

“SANRAL is committed to empowering SMMEs. They can be proud of their achievements on this project and we look forward to seeing them grow and flourish in the construction industry,” Ngozwana said.