The South African National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL) has announced that it has delivered completed road infrastructure development and road maintenance projects to the value of R1,4-billion in the Eastern Cape in its 2015/2016 financial year.
Thirteen road engineering projects were completed which included, among others, vertical and horizontal alignment, new community access roads, pedestrian walkways, repairing of sections of roads in distress, road resurfacing, construction of interchange bridges and slope stabilization projects on roads under its jurisdiction.
In all its projects, SANRAL looks for ways to provide opportunities for local communities and through the 13 projects completed this year, the number of jobs created provided employment to 1 988 individuals and training and skills development initiatives were provided to 459 individuals, the majority coming from disadvantaged communities. These figures are exclusive of other SANRAL projects that are currently underway through construction and on-going maintenance.
SANRAL’s Southern Region – which comprises the Eastern Cape Province – has the most national roads out of all South African provinces with the organisation upgrading, maintaining and rehabilitating road infrastructure spanning 4 544 km in the province. This year, the following projects were completed in the region:
• R61: The majority of projects were delivered along the R61, and the four projects included dualing of the road between St. Barnabas and Ntlaza CBD (R130-million); a rehabilitation programme between Draai River and Elinus (R80-million); an upgrading project between Qumanco River and All Saints Phase 1 (R209 million); and the resealing of the R61/N6 to Upper Tsojana (R60 million).
• N2: Along the N2, SANRAL completed the construction of the Bay West interchange and link roads (R350 million) and completed the resealing of the national road between Qumbu and Mount Frere (R55 million).
• R72: For the R72, SANRAL undertook and completed special maintenance from Keiskamma River to the East London Airport (R80 million), and also resealed the road between Fonteinskloof and Alexandria (R47 million).
• R63: The R63 was upgraded through a reseal of the road between Alice and King Williamstown (R98 million).
• R75: A slope stabilization project of the R75 near Uitenhage was undertaken (R73 million).
• N6: The reseal project from Queenstown to Jamestown (R120 million).
• R56: The reseal of the road from Mount Fletcher to Matatiele (R100 million).
• N10: The reseal of the N10 between Jaskraal and Baviaans River (R50 million).
A proud Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region manager says: “The programmes will benefit local and regional economies by laying the foundation to further improve the attractiveness of the region for foreign and direct investment, create safer and sufficient walkway and road-crossing infrastructure for pedestrians, and improve road surface and safety conditions for all road users.”
