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The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) shared current and planned road construction projects amounting to an estimated R1 billion with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) stakeholders in Motherwell, Gqeberha.

SANRAL hosted a roundtable discussion and its flagship Taking SANRAL to the People programme with local business stakeholders and community members last week Wednesday and Thursday.

SANRAL shared information on key projects including Phase 1 of the road improvement projects on the R335 from Motherwell to Addo, the routine road maintenance (RRM) of the N2 Section 10 between Thornhill and Colchester, the R75 Section 1 to Section 2 between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage, the R335 Section between Motherwell to Addo, and the road improvement project on the R75 from the Uitenhage to Kirkwood Interchange. SMMEs and local community members will benefit from these projects through various job opportunities that SANRAL will offer.

Xoliswa Chubana, SANRAL Southern Region’s Community Development Co-ordinator, presented SANRAL’s 14-Point Plan, which is the roads agency’s guide to facilitate better project liaison with local communities and structures that are affected by its projects. “Through the 14-Point Plan, we strive to ensure transparency and inclusivity among those who work on its projects,” said Chubana.

Chubana added that SANRAL has developed packages which seek to provide various job opportunities for different sub-groups and stakeholders within Nelson Mandela Bay communities. This is done in conjunction with the Project Liaison Committees (PLC).

The PLCs are established to ensure better communication and transparency on SANRAL projects, as well as ensuring that work done on projects is done seamlessly.

“PLCs will assist in creating a platform for project liaison, works execution, subcontracting and facilitating employment opportunities for local community members. This includes young people, women, people with disabilities and military veterans. Local subcontractors and local communities must benefit from our projects and we value transparency with communities on these contracts,” said Chubana. She also said that SANRAL has allocated a training budget to equip local SMMEs with the necessary skills needed to work on the SANRAL’s projects.

“We upskill SMMEs on the tender evaluation process and we take them through various mentorship programmes. When PLCs are established, it is important that you discuss training requirements that you need during your various meetings with the PLC,” said Thandile Makwabe, SANRAL Southern Region Transformation Officer.

Referring to the pothole riddled R335 Motherwell to Addo road, Welekazi Ndika, SANRAL Southern Region’s Stakeholder Relations Co-ordinator, shared information about the recently launched Vala Zonke National Pothole campaign. The campaign, which intends to fix potholes on all the country’s roads, was launched by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Monday, 8 August 2022. The campaign will be led by SANRAL as the implementing agent working closely with provincial and municipal roads departments. The project is intended to change the face of the country’s municipal and provincial roads from pothole-riddled to an acceptable state of repair.

Ndika also shared details about SANRAL’s Freeway Management System (FMS), which essentially monitors the country’s national freeways 24/7 for 365 days a year.

“Through FMS, SANRAL has been able to manage congestion on our freeways by using various intelligent tools. We are also able to respond speedily when there is an accident or crime scene on our freeways. The pilot project on this initiative started in October 2006 and it is already implemented in the City of Cape Town, eThekwini Metro and the City of Johannesburg,” said Ndika.

Issued by SANRAL