The South African National Road Agency (SANRAL) is embarking on its flagship Taking SANRAL to the people stakeholder engagement sessions across South Africa. SANRAL hosted stakeholders in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality on Tuesday, 27 October 2020, to provide a comprehensive view of its operations in the municipality.

This session was held under the theme: Transforming the Victor Khanye Municipality economy, one kilometre at a time. As part of its response to deliver on the long-term vision of a national transport system that delivers a better South Africa for all, SANRAL used this opportunity to foster dialogue with SMMEs, traditional authorities, community members and civil society.

This engagement coincides with the government’s priority to stimulate growth and drive job creation through the implementation of infrastructure development initiatives which are centred around localisation and development of the local small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs). This will happen through programmes that foster the creation of jobs, the strengthening of empowerment, including the participation of vulnerable groups and further strengthening of the role of women, people with disabilities and the youth across the economy.

Taking Sanral to Victor Khanye highlighted upcoming projects that the community and local businesses can take advantage of. “This effort by SANRAL will promote growth, mobilise investment, create jobs, and empower citizens with skills. This speaks to the SANRAL Stakeholder pillar which makes it possible for SANRAL to deliver the business of managing and operating the national road network within the framework of government policy while including local businesses and communities at the same time,” said Madoda Mthembu, SANRAL’s Operations and Maintenance Manager.

Unpacking key projects to SMMEs and local communities SANRAL Project Manager, Fulufhelo Luruli said that there are three main conventional projects and one maintenance project planned for Victor Khanye Local Municipality that the community and local businesses would benefit from. These are:

1. The repairs of various structures on national route N12 between Gillooly’s Interchange and Delmas Interchange (SANRAL N.012-159-2017/1&2)
2. The repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between Delmas and Petroport (SANRAL N.012-200-2019/1)
3. The repair and resurfacing of national route N12 section 20 between from Petroport to Ogies (SANRAL N.012-200-2019/2)
4. Routine road maintenance of national route N12, R555, R573 (SANRAL X.002-105-2019/1).

“The first project (SANRAL N.012-159-2017/1&2) includes the repair of 9 bridges. For the second and the third projects, the following scope of work will be covered: asphalt overlay, concrete pavement repair, pre-treatment of the existing road, traffic accommodation, drainage, structures improvements, road furniture (road signs, guardrails), and road markings,” said Fulufhelo.

The project duration is expected to take over a span of 10 to 15 months, the tenders are still under evaluation phase and are projected to start in 2022.