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The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has shared ongoing and planned project details with stakeholders’ and residents of King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality.

SANRAL hosted its Taking SANRAL to the People engagement session with King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality and provided an update of the Viedgesville to Mthatha project with stakeholders and residents last week (Wednesday 27 July).

This engagement was a follow-up meeting with the stakeholders and residents. SANRAL engaged community members of Maqhinebeni, Qweqwe, KwaPayne and Viedgesville villages in May this year.

Councillor Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo, the MMC for Rural and Economic Development of KSD Local Municipality, encouraged stakeholders and residents to participate in the project.

“The presence of the community is very important during these meetings. When project information is shared you understand what the project is about and know that the development is for everyone to benefit,” said Dudumayo.

Chief Bhovulengwe Mtirara, of Viedgesville, welcomed the project. “We support the project one hundred percent. This road is a high accident zone. Almost daily we will hear of pedestrians, motorists or livestock involved in an accident. We will no longer allow people to build along the road. We also welcome that SANRAL is taking over the road to Coffee Bay and we wish SANRAL could take over the maintenance and construction of more roads,” said Mtirara.

“The N2 from Viedgesville to Mthatha project will include an upgrade to a four-lane divided by the median or physical barrier to a dual carriageway, improvements to intersections and interchanges on the road, construction of agricultural underpasses, provision of pedestrian bridges, strengthening of the existing pavement, road signage and marking, and streetlights, to mention a few. The estimated allocated budget on this project is R1.1 billion and the project is still in the design phase. The main contractor has not yet been appointed,” said Welekazi Ndika, SANRAL Southern Region Stakeholder Coordinator.

“The community development project, on the other hand, will entail the construction of community access roads that are adjacent to the N2 national road. The tender for the main contractor is at the procurement stage and the estimated project value is R250 million. These projects will create much needed jobs for the local community, and they will also be trained to work on these projects,” said Ndika.

The upgrade of the National Route N2 Section 18 from Viedgesville (km 65.0) to Mthatha (km 85.0) is currently undergoing stakeholder interventions and social facilitation that will affect landowners and relocation of affected properties are underway.

The consultant appointed is Gibb (Pty) Ltd. The project is in the design phase. The main contractor has not yet been appointed. The estimated project budget will be R1.1 billion, including VAT.

Vuyokazi Mayeza, SANRAL’s social facilitator on the project, explained that the PLC is still being established. “The process to start a PLC started last year and continued and the arrangement is that each area must have a business presentative as well as women and youth representatives,” said Mayeza.

Ndika also spoke about SANRAL’s 14 Point Plan, as well the formation of the Project Liaison Committees (PLC). She also spoke about the tender process for targeted enterprises, the tender evaluation process, training and skills development, and community development (CD) projects. She also shared information about SANRAL’s continuing role in infrastructure development and job creation and skills development.

Issued by FTI Consulting on behalf of the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL)