SANRAL creating jobs through road construction

The Msikaba North haul road is nearing completion after early delays necessitated by relocation of families and graves.

Irvin Khoza, assistant resident engineer on the project says the road is being built to help transport material for the building of the N2 Msikaba bridge.

The estimated value for the project is R29m, 30% of which has been allocated to SMMEs. There are no JVs appointed on the project which started in October 2016. “This is the first phase of the project. The second phase will be the actual N2 that’s going to be running across next to what we have now which is the haul road,” says Khoza.

The road features a 140-mm depth of concrete pavement. “With this concrete pavement you’ve got anchor panels. With these panels in this area I would say instead of having your normal C4, you’d have that as a trench that’s been opened, so the concrete can go deeper. Underneath you’ve got mesh steel reinforcement. We’ve also installed guardrails for safety purposes,” Khoza explains.

The end of the first phase completed at the end of March 2018. Khoza says they have managed to work with the local SMMEs and offer them guidance on how to help their businesses succeed. Emmanuel Sisanda’s company First Building Construction has helped to create much needed jobs in the Msikaba area where they are contracted to help build a haul road for the construction of the N2 highway.

He was sub-contracted on the Msikaba North haul road project by Grinaker. The company’s responsibility includes building a concrete pavement and steel fixing. They also supply the concrete used on the project. “On this project I have 17 labourers drawn from the local community,” says Sisanda.

“We would like to say thank you to SANRAL for what you are doing for us because even as individuals we are benefitting from this project. The community is also benefitting from this so, thank you SANRAL,” he says.