An announcement has been made by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) of an injection of more than R500 million towards road construction and maintenance in the Free State’s Xhariep region.
The roads this is destined for are part of a critical network for towns like Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein, Jagersfontein and Trompsburg. Sanral set to take over major FS roads’ maintenance
The agency confirmed on Friday, 13 June, that it would be embarking on these roads projects, adding that the investment would extend towards creating much-needed job opportunities for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and local communities in the region.
This was done during an information event for community members in Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein and Trompsburg.
Sipho Khoza, Sanral’s project manager, confirmed the agency would embark on an emergency routine road maintenance (RRM) project of the R48 road intersection to Jacobsdal, the R704 road from Trompsburg to Jagersfontein, the R704 road from Jagersfontein to Trompsburg, as well as the R705 road from Jacobsdal to the Free State and Northern Cape provincial border.
Khoza said that the Free State government handed these roads over to the agency in November last year.
“Our aim at Sanral is to ensure that previously marginalised communities – including women, young people, and people with disabilities – play a meaningful role and benefit from the construction industry.
“Key works that will be done on the project include pavement layer repairs, pothole repairs, crack sealing, edge break repairs, shoulder repairs, surface treatment, slope repair, cleaning of drainage structures, grass cutting and bush clearing, fence and guardrail repairs and road marking,” said Khoza.
He added that grass cutting and bush clearing project started recently, during April, and that it is expected to be completed around the same time next year.
In addition to providing job opportunities for members of local communities, Khoza said that the RRM project was crucial because the areas concerned represented the lifeblood of the province’s agricultural economy.
“As Sanral, we must ensure continuous upgrades and maintenance of these roads, which enables farmers and rural communities to transport their goods, services and produce to the markets on roads that are safe to use.
“The upgrades to these road corridors will provide a massive boost to the economy and will greatly increase road capacity in the area,” stated Khoza.
He said over the next two years, the agency would also embark on other road maintenance projects in the Free State, such as the maintenance of the N1 national road from Fonteintjie to Wurasoord, and the national N8 road connecting Alexanderfontein.
Working together with the Department of Labour and the South African Revenue Service (Sars), Sanral also used the information session as an opportunity to share how local SMMEs can be tax compliant, and how they can also be trained and equipped to enhance their business acumen and tendering skills.
“We want to encourage active dialogue with yourselves as the project progresses,” said Thandeka Ngema, acting stakeholder relations coordinator for the Free State.
“This is important because we want to ensure the smoothing running of these projects, with maximum benefits for all those that are affected.
“Working together through the Project Liaison Committee (PLC), we will continue to ensure that information is shared among yourself and that there is ongoing transparency on matters relating to subcontracting, project execution and employment of local community members.”
