SANRAL, the South African National Roads Agency Limited SOC, has recently introduced two significant road infrastructure projects for the Great Kei Local Municipality. According to the budget unveiled SANRAL is expected to spend R1.165 billion on R63 Qumrha-N2 and N2 Mooiplaas to Qumrha project in the Eastern Cape.
Within these initiatives, there are two notable projects. The first project involves the enhancement of the national R63, spanning from kilometre 21.7 to the N2 beyond Qumrha, with a value of R983 million. The second project focuses on the resealing of Section 16 of the N2, stretching from Mooiplaas to the Qumrha intersection, with a value of R182 million.
Scheduled to begin in the second half of 2023, both projects have their own specific scopes. The R63 upgrade will involve widening and rehabilitating the current two-lane single carriageway, incorporating geometric safety enhancements and road widening. On the other hand, the N2 Mooiplaas to Qumrha intersection project aims to improve and rehabilitate the road through activities such as crack sealing, texture correction, edge break repairs, and resealing.
The mayor of the Great Kei Local Municipality, Ngenisile Tekile, expressed a positive reception to this news, welcoming the projects and their anticipated benefits.
Importance of R63 Qumrha-N2 and N2 Mooiplaas to Qumrha project
The mayor, Ngenisile Tekile, expressed appreciation to SANRAL for responding to the need to upgrade the R63 and N2. He acknowledged that these developments would bring significant investments to the region, including the construction of a taxi rank and pedestrian walkways to enhance safety. Furthermore, the mayor welcomed SANRAL’s commitment to upgrading the R63 from Bhisho to N6.
Given that the Great Kei Local Municipality is predominantly comprised of impoverished households living below the poverty line, with high unemployment rates and a significant number of indigent households reliant on subsidized basic municipal services, the mayor emphasized the urgency of creating opportunities for the youth. He highlighted that SANRAL’s road infrastructure investment in the area would help alleviate this situation by generating numerous job opportunities in the coming years.
Ngozwana further mentioned that SANRAL has made arrangements to engage local suppliers for sourcing materials and encouraged those with borrow pits to be prepared for potential involvement.
The R63 project is expected to create more than 360 job opportunities for the local community, along with over 40 subcontracting opportunities.
In terms of contract allocations, eight percent of the contract value will be dedicated to labor, with a minimum of 30 percent to be subcontracted to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMMEs). For the N2 Mooiplaas to Qumrha project, it is estimated that R54 million will be spent on SMMEs, while R40 million will be allocated to labor costs.
The consulting firm Mariswe (Pty) Ltd has been appointed as the consultant for the R63 Qumrha-N2 project, while H&I Construction (Pty) Ltd has been designated as the main contractor. On the other hand, the consulting engineers BVI Consulting have been awarded the contract for the N2 Mooiplaas to Qumrha project, with Tau Pele Construction (Pty) Ltd serving as the main contractor.
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