Construction to complete the three large traffic circles on the N14 between Kathu and Olifantshoek is set to commence in the next two months.
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) announced on 24 January that the project was handed over to a new contractor.
The three intersections have largely remained incomplete due to the original contractor failing to perform in accordance with the contract.
Sanral had to terminate the contract, according to its press release.
“We are grateful that, after consistent pressure, this is finally happening,” says Willie Aucamp, DA-MP and Northern Cape Constituency Head of the Kalahari.
“We trust the faults of the past will not be repeated and that money will not be paid for work not completed.”
In February 2020 Aucamp raised a question in parliament regarding the previous contract in which a company only completed a certain portion of the work before running into “financial difficulties”.
Since the beginning of 2019 little or no work has been done in terms of this contract, Aucamp says.
Due to the incompletion of the work, traffic congestion and accidents are frequent occurrences.
According to Aucamp, councillors will monitor the new contractor’s progress closely and react if it does not go according to plan.
A resident of Kathu says the current situation is unbearable due to high traffic volumes and uncertainty as to where the lanes begin and end.
He says accidents happen quite often at these traffic circles.
Furthermore, he says, it looks unkept.
“And this on a national route which is used by tourists and other visitors.”
Another resident hopes the traffic circles will be elevated to ensure that big trucks will drive around them and not over.
“It is a huge relief that a contractor will finally be able to complete the intersections in line with the original engineering designs,” says Friedl van der Merwe, Sanral’s project manager.
According to Ophaketse Hantise, mayor of the Gamagara Local Municipality, the jobs and subcontracting opportunities are a welcome boost to the local economy.
The completion of the works will have a direct economic impact on the community, with project participation opportunities for small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) and work for local labour in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, Sanral stated in its release.
The agency met with SMMEs and communities in the Gamagara Local Municipality earlier in January to explain the economic and project participation opportunities of the project.
Sanral confirmed its commitment to the completion of this project and appealled to road users to be patient with road conditions during the construction period.
The agency apologised to road users for the short-term inconvenience that may be caused in and around the construction area, but ensured that the long-term benefits of safer intersections will far outweigh the inconvenience.
The new contractors have two months to finalise their arrangements and another six months to complete the project.
