The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) spokesperson Vusi Mona has rejected reports that the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project would adversely affect members of impoverished communities in the area.

Mona indicated that since preparations for the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project began in 1996, Sanral had met with provincial and local governments in the province, as well as with the communities who would be affected by the upgrades to the roads.

“Sanral has gone to great lengths to ensure that all communities were consulted and that, wherever possible, their concerns have been addressed. The upgrade of the N1-N2 Winelands route will be of great benefit to all communities in the region and will not impact negatively on poorer communities,” he said in a statement.

Mona pointed out that the project, which would entail upgrading the highway and the implementation of a tolling system would provide job opportunities to communities along the route.

Sanral projected that about 5 000 jobs would be created during the construction phase of the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project. Of the jobs created, the majority would be for unskilled labour, thereby benefiting members of impoverished communities.

“Seventy-two per cent of these jobs will go to workers at the lower end of the income spectrum. After construction, about 600 direct jobs will be generated annually. Also, an increase in productivity due to business time-saving as a result of increased efficiency of the network, could generate as many as 148 jobs by the end of the concession period,” Mona added.

The roads agency also projected that the improved road infrastructure could potentially generate between 1 300 and 2 100 indirect jobs.

“This is in line with government’s priority on job creation and the government-led infrastructure investment programme,” Mona noted.

Further, he stated that the upgrade would boost tourism in the region with the contribution to the gross domestic product expected to increase from R1.5-billion at the start of construction, to R14-billion at the end of the concession period.

Similarly, the gross geographic product of the region would grow from R192-million to R2.2-billion over the same period.