A total of 33 people, making an impact to an estimated 165 families, have been employed in South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) routine road maintenance projects (RRM) along the N14 in the North West Province. More road upgrades and expansion are planned for the region due to start from 2021 through to 2023.

Speaking to small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) and local communities in Ventersdorp today (Friday, 28 February) as part of SANRAL’s flagship Taking SANRAL to the People programme, Layton Leseane, project manager for SANRAL’s Northern Region, said that these projects include the R53 from Potchefstroom to Ventersdorp, R30 from Klerksdorp to Rustenburg and N14 from Carletonville to Coligny.

“Our RRM projects are maintenance projects that are ongoing throughout our 2 598 kilometres road network in the North West. They are day to day maintenance projects which include grass cutting, fencing, storm water maintenance, pavement maintenance and earthworks,” says Leseane.

According to Leseane, these projects have not only enhanced road user experience in the province, but they have also provided job opportunities for local communities.

Since introducing its Horizon 2030 Strategy, SANRAL has made a concerted effort to empower locals by providing them with job opportunities and enabling SMMEs to partner with more established construction companies on its projects.

Horizon 2030 is a proactive response by the roads agency to create a national road transport system that serves as an “economic artery”, delivering an improved standard of living for citizens that live alongside its projects.

Jullecsia Saul, SANRAL’s northern region stakeholder coordinator, says that it is SANRAL’s responsibility to involve communities in the immediate vicinity of its projects.

“Through our engagement today, were informed stakeholders about our projects in Ventersdorp; by bringing in partners such as the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), local SMMEs and community members were informed of how they can participate in SANRAL projects,” says Saul.

To highlight its commitment to the transformation industry, SANRAL has also signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with established contractors, giving emerging contractors access to equipment, mentoring, financing and empowering them to participate on SANRAL projects.