The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) this week hosted an information session for small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in Amahlathi, in the Eastern Cape, about the road improvement project planned for the R63 national road from Bhisho to the N6 national road bridge intersection.

Currently in the design phase, the R750-million project is anticipated to create 200 job opportunities for the local community over 36 months. About 60 local SMMEs are also expected to benefit from the project.

Sanral introduced the details of the upcoming projects to stakeholders on April 7. This latest information session was a follow-up to the information session held with Buffalo City-based SMMEs in Bhisho, in March.

The R63 national road project spans the two municipalities of Buffalo City and Amahlathi.

“We are very pleased with what Sanral is doing and bringing to the Amahlathi community. This project will benefit our local community, it will enable them to make a living, improve their lives and give them the relevant skills necessary to work in the built and construction sector,” said Amahlathi local municipality head of road and infrastructure Xola Tokwe.

The scope of works that will be done on the project will include the dualling of sections of the R63, improvement of the existing road alignment, improvement of the existing pavement structure, construction of new hydraulic structures, construction of community access roads and pedestrian walkways, and the installation of streetlights, Sanral senior technician on the R63 project Ronald Kasipo outlined.

“It is also important to emphasise that much of the focus on this project is to benefit local SMMEs. Up to 30% of the contract will be given to targeted enterprises or subcontractors. Packages for the targeted enterprises will include fencing, minor contract works, gabions, guard rails and site security, among others,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sanral’s 14-point plan will assist in ensuring better communication and understanding between stakeholders that are affected by the project, said Sanral southern region stakeholder coordinator Welekazi Ndika.

The plan is Sanral’s guide to facilitate better project-level liaison with local communities and structures that are affected by its projects. It strives to ensure transparency and inclusivity among those who work on its projects.

“It is also our wish that when this project starts, we will already have established a project liaison committee (PLC) on this project.

“The PLC will assist in creating a platform for project liaison, works execution, subcontracting and facilitating employment opportunities for local community members. All community representatives, including the youth, women, people with disabilities and military veterans, to mention a few, must be represented in the PLC,” said Ndika.