ROADS & BRIDGES | MAINTENANCE & MANAGEMENT
N2 Wild Coast investments
BENEFIT COMMUNITIES The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) continues to roll out new contracts as momentum builds on the N2 Wild Coast Road Project in the Eastern Cape.
T
o date, some R278 million has been paid to over 100 local SMMEs, including 28 suppliers, 52 ser vice providers and 27 subcontractors currently under taking work on the Msikaba Bridge development, which is expected to be completed in May 2024. “In addition, R45.9 million has so far been paid on wages to over 300 skilled and unskilled labourers drawn from the surrounding local communities, as well as the surrounding local municipalities of Por t St Johns, Ingquza Hill and Winnie Madikizela Mandela,” says Craig McLachlan, Sanral’s project manager on the N2 Wild Coast Road Project.
In the latest round, seven new subcontracting tenders valued at more than R76 million are in the pipeline. These include a bush clearing project in the east and west of Mzimvubu River, repairs to the R61 between Ndwalane and Ntafufu, repairs to the main roads through Lusikisiki, repairs to the R61 between Lusikisiki and Zalu, repairs to the R61 between Bukazi and Flagstaff, as well as repairs to the Flagstaff town bypass and road to Holy Cross. An additional four first-tier tenders have also been adver tised and are currently in adjudication. These entail the rehabilitation of the Ingquza Hill Memorial Road, upgrading of roads in Ntlavukazi Village, upgrading of the DR8004 from the R61 national road to Bambisana Hospital Road, as well as the design of the upgrading of the road from Bizana to Mbongweni Village. These four tenders are expected to be awarded by September 2022. Sanral has also completed five community development projects in the region. New ones in the design phase include an access road leading to the Goso Forest Clinic, access road and pedestrian facilities in Mbotyi and the Ntafufu Ser vice Road. These projects are
also planned to be put out to tender by September 2022.
Provincial roads transfer proposal Minister of Transpor t Fikile Mbalula has also agreed to a request from Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane for some of the province’s roads to be transferred to Sanral. These roads include the R61 from Tombo outside Por t St John’s to Mzamba at the Mtamvuna 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, as well as the MR00710 road from the R61 to the R56 (Satan’s Nek). For these roads to be transferred to Sanral, there are processes that first need to be followed for them to be gazetted. Sanral will also sur vey and proclaim these new roads, as well as prepare, adver tise and award tenders for maintenance contractors to take over responsibility. In the meantime, the tender for the anticipated Mtentu Bridge project – the second of the two major bridges on the new Wild Coast route – is currently awaiting announcement by the Sanral board.
IMIESA April 2022
25
