Interacting with the town’s business community was opportune for SANRAL to share information about its continuing role in infrastructure development, job creation and skills development. 

Deputy Transport Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has called on young people, women and other previously disadvantaged individuals to participate in the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Limited’s (SANRAL) road construction projects, enabling them to contribute to the economy. 

The deputy minister was speaking to the business community at SANRAL’s flagship Taking SANRAL to the People programme in eDumbe, KwaZulu-Natal. 

“Working together with SANRAL, as the department we continue to ensure that all women, the youth and people with disabilities, particularly in rural areas, have access to opportunities that government offers,” she said. 

With high unemployment and illiteracy rates, the rural community of Paulpietersburg does not often have easy access to information about government services. 

Interacting with the town’s business community was opportune for SANRAL to share information about its continuing role in infrastructure development, job creation and skills development. 

The roads agency will also host a career expo in eDumbe in August. 

Transformation 

“SANRAL recognises the critical role that it plays in the construction and related industries and is mindful of its impact to South Africans. Through Horizon 2030, SANRAL uses the management of the country’s national roads assets to speed up transformation of the country’s economy,” said the deputy minister. 

Horizon 2030 was approved by the SANRAL Board in 2018; it considers key recommendations of the National Development Plan (NDP) and it is a proactive response by the roads agency to build a more inclusive economy. 

Echoing the deputy minister’s sentiments, Melba Geca, SANRAL’s northern region stakeholder coordinator, said accelerating transformation is in line with SANRAL’s transformation strategy, enabling communities to benefit on its projects. 

Monageng Mokgojwa, SANRAL’s eastern region stakeholder coordinator, said the roads agency has several Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with industry players in the engineering and built industry sector in order to accelerate efforts and open doors for black owned contractors. 

“The MoUs attract new entrants into the construction and engineering sectors, who will in turn grow their businesses and create jobs. They also demonstrate SANRAL’s resolve use its contracting and procurement processes to facilitate the growth of emerging contractors,” he said. 

SANRAL has signed MoUs with Bell Equipment, Barloworld, Wirtgen, Pilot Crash Tech and National African Federation for Building Industry (Nafbi).