The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has announced an R76-million investment in seven new contracts to help local communities along with the N2 Wild Coast Road Project in the Eastern Cape.
A bush clearing project east and west of the Mzimvubu river; repairs to the R61 between Ndwalane and Ntafufu roads; repairs to the main roads through Lusikisiki; repairs to the R61 between Lusikisiki and Zalu road; repairs to the R61 between Bukazi and Flagstaff; and repairs to the Flagstaff town bypass and road to Holy Cross are among the seven new subcontracting tenders that will be awarded soon.
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Sanral has previously posted four first-tier tenders in the region, which are now being adjudicated. These include the rehabilitation of the Ingquza Hill Memorial road, improving roads in Ntlavukazi village, and improving the DR8004 road from the R61 national road to the Bambisana Hospital road and the design of the route from Bizana to Mbongweni village. These four bids are expected to be granted by September.
Progress on the N2 Wild Coast road project so far
Craig McLachlan, project manager for the Sanral N2 Wild Coast Road, said R278 million has been given to local small, medium-sized, and microenterprises, comprising 28 suppliers, 52 service providers, and 27 subcontractors are now working on the Msikaba Bridge project. Furthermore, over 300 skilled and unskilled laborers selected from the neighboring local villages and the surrounding local municipalities of Port St Johns, Ingquza Hill, and Winnie Madikizela Mandela have received pay totaling R45.9 million.
They have already met 102.6% of the objective for young labor, which is 30% of the overall planned wage bill. So far, they have met 45.4% of the aim for female employment. The Msikaba Bridge construction project is scheduled to be finished in May 2024. Sanral said the N2 Mtentu Bridge tender is pending approval from its board. This project was retendered after its first attempt to get off the ground failed due to disagreement within the community and on the project site.
Sanral has also stated that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has agreed to Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane‘s proposal to transfer part of the province’s highways to Sanral. The R61 road from Tombo, just outside Port St John’s, to Mzamba at the Umtamvuna river; the DR0838 road from the R61 to Cala; the DR08012 road from Maluti to Qachas Nek at the Lesotho border; the DR08031 and DR18031 roads from Viedgesville to Coffee Bay; and the MR00710 road from the R61 to the R56 (Satan’s Nek).
