Sanral pledges R2 billion to upgrade Eastern Cape roads

South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has announced a significant investment of nearly R2 billion in the Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape.

According to the agency the funds will be allocated to road maintenance projects in the area and this is estimated to be completed over the next three years.

During a stakeholder engagement session eNgcobo, Sanral presented its plans to local leaders, business forums, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), taxi associations, and various members of the community, including youth, women, military veterans, and people with disabilities.

Partnerships

The executive mayor of Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality, Councillor Siyabulela Zangqa, expressed excitement about the partnership between Sanral and the municipality.

Zangqa said the collaboration was aimed at improving and maintaining the national road network within the municipality.

ALSO READ: Sanral adjudicates R6.43 billion in tenders, boosting construction industry

“We continue to work closely with the different spheres of government as part of our ongoing efforts to unlock investments and economic development in our municipality and ensuring that we bring employment opportunities. Working together with Sanral, we are certain that we are going to ensure that those commitments happen,” he added.

Sanral has identified two road infrastructure development projects in the municipality. These initiatives encompass various aspects, including upgrading roads, bridges, culverts, and enhancing road safety.

The first project involves improving the R61 National Road between All Saints and Bayiza, while the second project focuses on the R61 National Road between Qumanco and eNgcobo.

READ MORE: From gravel to tar: Eastern Cape road upgrade to cost more than R300 million

To ensure local participation, “Sanral has set aside a minimum of 30% of the project value to be subcontracted to SMMEs and a minimum of 8% of the project value will be set aside for local labour. The construction tender closed on 8 March this year, and the projects are envisaged to take place over three years once a contractor is appointed,” the statement read.

Road infrastructure development

Sanral southern region’s stakeholder coordinator Welekazi Ndika outlined the road agency’s 14 Point Plan, which emphasizes better communication and transparency with the local communities affected by their projects.

“Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) will assist in creating a platform for project liaison, works execution, subcontracting and facilitating employment opportunities for local community members. These include young people, women, people with disabilities and military veterans. Local subcontractors and communities must benefit from our projects, and we value transparency with communities on these contracts,” said Ndika.

Ndika asked the youth to take part in PLC structures while highlighting the country’s high joblessness.

Furthermore, Sanral southern region’s transformation unit Zenande Mpondo shared the agency’s dedication to providing training and development opportunities for SMME contractors to enhance their skills and business acumen.

NOW READ: SMMEs: The hidden key to the budget

“All small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) will be required to undertake assessment and class activities during the training, and they will have to demonstrate competence to be awarded the unit standard. The unit standards are from the National Certificate: Construction Contracting NQF 2. These unit standards are a skills programme that will have a credit value towards the National Certificate,” Mpondo said.

She added that they will also support SMMEs by providing information on tenders and development opportunities.

Currently managing a road network of 5 334 km in the Eastern Cape, Sanral plans to expand it to 5 600 km by including recently acquired roads.

“Between 2014 and 2022, Sanral invested over R28 billion in the Eastern Cape, significantly boosting economic development and job creation.

ALSO READ: Vehicles set alight as protesters demand water and sanitation in Gqeberha

“In line with its strategic intent to ensure sustainability of the construction industry, Sanral intends to spend just over R55 billion between April this year and March 2027,” said the agency’s statement.

R300 million road upgrade

In a separate project, the Eastern Cape Department of Transport in February revealed plans to upgrade the DR08125 road, which connects the Sipetu Hospital in Ntabankulu with the N2 road in the province.

This road upgrade, costing more than R300 million, would involve paving the existing gravel road.

The construction is projected to take just over two years to complete.

“This project is a construction that is now taking on phase 4 of its construction.

“This multi-million-rand road will give access to this state-of-the-art hospital easier for the dozens of rural communities that depend on the hospital for tertiary health care,” the spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Safety, Unathi Binqose, told The Citizen.

Binqose said that the total budget allocated to the project is R339 million.

Additionally, the spokesperson also mentioned that more than 100 jobs will be created for the local community and local small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs), benefiting 130 low-skilled locals.