Minister Mbalula officially opens new Karino Interchange in Mbombela

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited’s (Sanral) R375m Karino Interchange project on the N4 was officially launched on Friday November 4.
The interchange is the most important link between Mbombela and KaNyamazane, and will provide a direct link from the R514 route to the N4 national road. The R514 also provides access to the KMI Airport.
The construction of the Karino Interchange started in November 2019, and has just been completed at a cost of R375m.
The transport minister, Fikile Mbalula, Sanral and Trans African Concessions (TRAC) showcased how public and private partnerships within the public infrastructure development space benefit road users and local communities through the construction and expansion of the national road network.

A total of R116.2m was spent on 44 local subcontractors, while R22.3m went to local labour, which included 236 males, 42 females, 143 youth and one person living with a disability.
“We are not only showcasing a project completed on time and within budget, but also to demonstrate government’s commitment to create jobs and enable economic participation of black businesses. At least 44 small, medium and micro enterprises were given opportunities to participate in delivering this incredible infrastructure development project.”

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Mbalula said the previous T-junction intersection was under pressure to handle the high traffic volumes experienced on both the N4 and the R538, particularly during peak hours.
“This also made it difficult for vehicles to join the N4 at night, in misty conditions and rainfall, as the ability of motorists to correctly estimate the distance of oncoming traffic was compromised. To reduce the number and severity of crashes that occurred on this section of the N4, the speed limit was reduced from 120km/h to 80km/h. With the growth in traffic volumes due to high commuter traffic and the safety record at this intersection, an engineering decision was taken to upgrade it to a grade-separated interchange.”
The N4 toll route is the catalyst for trade and investment between three South African land-locked provinces, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, as well as neighbouring countries.

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“These three provinces are rich in natural resources, and the corridor links them directly to international markets through the Maputo Port. The N4 toll route also links the City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to the port through the N12. This makes it a favourite among transporters, because its world-class road infrastructure makes it reliable, convenient and safe. This new Karino Interchange has transformed the old intersection into a grade-separated interchange, with on- and off-ramps and a bridge that will separate cross-traffic from through-traffic and thus ease traffic flow at this busy intersection.”

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Mbalula said improved and safer access roads and reduced travel times will also stimulate further economic growth through this project, particularly in the area north of the Crocodile River.
He said Sanral has committed to subcontracting at least 30% to SMMEs in all its projects.
“In the case of this project, this target was vastly exceeded, with 46.6% of the contract value going to local SMMEs. This is an achievement we must encourage. Sanral has committed to ensure that at least 6% of the contract value is spent on local labour. Once again, this project has achieved 9% or R22.3m spending on local labour.”
Richard Lukhuleni, a worker, said he benefited from the project because he was able to put food on the table at home. “I am a father of four kids and working in this project changed our lives for the better. I started as a temporary worker and now I am a permanent employee.”
He said he is happy to have been part of the project.