R14 BN For Northern Cape Roads Over Next 3 Years

More than R14 billion has been allocated to Northern Cape roads by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral).

This allocation will be utilised over the next three years, and covers a wide spread of important road maintenance and construction projects, according to a press statement on 15 March.

Sanral currently has a footprint in the Northern Cape that spans 4 409 km, of which 952 km was recently incorporated from the Northern Cape government.

Budgets have been allocated for emergency repairs under routine road maintenance (RRM) and more long-term repairs to roads in the Joe Morolong, Ga-Segonyana, Kgatelopele, Dikgatlong, Sol Plaatje, Renosterberg, Umsobomvu,Tsantsabane, Thembelihle, Richtersveld, and Emthanjeni Local Municipalities.

Northern Cape roads are becoming increasingly constantly more busy with especially heavily-loaded trucks from mining areas to harbours in other provinces, roaming the roads.

Although some roadworks have been completed on the notorious R31 road, it remains one of the most dangerous roads in the province, with regular reports of fatal accidents taking place.

Randall Cable, Sanral Western Region manager, said the agency’s involvement will see ongoing road construction, with resultant economic opportunities for small businesses and local labour across the province over the next five years. He said work will commence as early as mid-2023.

Cable also referred to the recent State of the Province Address (Sopa) by the Northern Cape premier, Dr Zamani Saul, saying Sanral looks forward to working with the provincial government in effecting a modern, growing, and successful province.

In his Sopa, Saul said 16 roads were transferred to Sanral on 2 November

“Apivotal development related to the latter is the fact that Sanral will also be opening an office here in the Northern Cape; this will help to strengthen focus on our roads which are critical to the success of our provincial and the national economy,” Saul said.

Saul stated that through Operation Vala Zonke the province completed 23 000 m2 of potholes.

In addition to the RRM projects which cover all the major routes in the Northern Cape, Cable said some of the major construction projects on the cards which will be out on tender for construction over the next one to three years, include the improvement of: the N14 section 2 between Alheit and Keimoes; the N14 section 4 between Keimoes and Upington; the N10 section 11 between Vaalkoppies and Upington; special maintenance of the N10 section 11 between Uitkyk and Vaalkoppies; special maintenance of the N14 section 5 between Upington andAdeisestad; and upgrading the R380 section 2 between Santoy and McCarthy’s rest border post BPfrom gravel to a surfaced road.

The Sanral projects and investment in quality road infrastructure will not only bring with it improved mobility nationally, but also meaningful economic opportunities to improve the quality of life for all Northern Cape communities, Cable concluded.

- Noordkaap Bulletin