Sanral spent R1.4bn to upgrade EC roads

THE Phumulo Masualle-led Eastern Cape government’s decision to rope in the SA National Roads Agency Ltd (Sanral) to improve the province’s road network is paying off.

Sanral has spent more than R1.4billion in the financial year which ended in March this year to upgrade 13 major roads in the province.

Sanral southern region manager Mbulelo Peterson said injecting funding in the upgrade of roads network created “safer and sufficient walkways and road-crossing for pedestrians, and improves road surface and safety conditions for motorists”.

The roads upgraded between April last year and March this year, include:

● Construction of the Bay West interchange along the N2 at a cost of R350-million;

● Resealing of the N2 between Qumbu and KwaBhaca (formerly Mount Frere) at a cost of R55-million;

● Maintenance of the R72 between Keiskamma River and East London Airport; as well as R72 between Fonkesteinkloof and Alexandria;

● R130-million upgrade of R61 between St Barnabas and Ntlaza CBD (about 20km from Mthatha);

● Rehabilitation of the R61 between Draai River and Elinus at a cost of R80-million;

● Upgrading of the R61 between Qumanco River and All Saints (eNgcobo) at a cost of R209-million;

● Resealing of the R61/N6 to Upper Tsojana at a cost of R60-million; and

● Upgrading the R63 between Alice and King William’s Town at a cost of R98-million, to mention but a few.

Peterson said the projects would benefit local and regional economies by “laying the foundation toimprove the attractiveness of the region for foreign and direct investment”.

The Eastern Cape cabinet roped Sanral back in 2009.

Public works provincial spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile said due to budgetary constraints and capacity issues “the department opted to ask one of the state’s agencies to work with it in delivering roads.

“This financial year (2016-17) Sanral is planning on spending R5-billion on our provincial roads. It can be said without any equivocation that in the next five years, the national road network in the eastern part of our province will be second to none.

“It must also be pointed out that a significant amount of the Sanral budget is dedicated to the participation of local SMMEs in their various programmes,” Zuzile said.

Peterson said in the 13 projects which were finalised at the end of March, 1 988 jobs were created, and 459 more people benefited from Sanral’s training and skills development initiatives.

“These figures are exclusive of other Sanral projects currently under way through construction and ongoing maintenance,” Peterson added.

Zuzile said provincial treasury has decided to transfer funding to Sanral for the upgrade of other routes as of April 1. These include:

● The R396 which links the R56 in Maclear to the N2 outside Tsolo, north of Mthatha;

● R390 from the N10 in Cradock through Hofmeyer to the R56 near Steynsburg;

● R391 from the R56 between Steynsburg and Molteno to the R58 in Burgersdorp; and

● R392; R410 and R58 from the N6 in Komani (Queenstown) through Cacadu (formerly Lady Frere) and Cala to the R56 south of Khowa (Elliot).

The provincial government, through Sanral, is also planning the constructing of two bridges over the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers in the Mpondoland area. —