EDITOR’S COMMENT MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Dhiren Allopi, Alaster Goyns, Johan Muller, Gugu Ndlovu, Bhavna Soni, Altus Strydom PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za ___________________________________________________
The road to recovery
T
he recent surge in demand for imported bitumen products is a positive sign that there’s an anticipated upswing in the roads market. This is supported by increased tender activity, plus new project awards from Sanral. These include an approximately R1.45 billion investment in a major revamp of the N3 (Section 2) between Cato Ridge and Dardanelles in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Awarded in April 2021, this 48-month project entails the upgrading of a 6.4 km four-lane dual carriageway to an eight-lane inbound and outbound section, plus associated works. A section of the R103, which runs parallel to the N3, will also be revamped. According to Sanral, around R400 million will be apportioned to SMME subcontractors, plus more than R100 million for community-based labour. In both cases, this should present excellent opportunities for employment, skills transfer and the adoption of new technologies.
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The backbone of the economy For any country, roads are the backbone of the economy. In South Africa’s case, this is even more applicable since the majority of our goods are transported by road, rather than alternatives like rail. For roads authorities, this makes maintenance a priority, since the wear and tear caused by truck traffic takes its toll on riding surfaces. Proactive maintenance logically extends pavement life and delays the eventual need for costly reconstruction. Developing and applying the most effective maintenance strategies is vital to preserving our approximately 158 124 km of paved roadways. As an industry, there also needs to be a strategic focus on transitioning some sections of our approximately 591 876 km of unpaved roads to asphalt-surfaced routes. Progress is being made in this direction. During the 2021 State of the National Address,
BORDER Secretary: Celeste Vosloo Tel: +27 (0)43 705 2433 Email: celestev@buffalocity.gov.za EASTERN CAPE Secretary: Susan Canestra Tel: +27 (0)41 585 4142 ext. 7 Email: imesaec@imesa.org.za KWAZULU-NATAL Secretary: Ingrid Botton Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Email: imesakzn@imesa.org.za NORTHERN PROVINCES Secretary: Ollah Mthembu Tel: +27 (0)82 823 7104 Email: np@imesa.org.za SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO Secretary: Henrietta Olivier Tel: +27 (0)79 390 7536 Email: imesasck@imesa.org.za WESTERN CAPE Secretary: Michelle Ackerman Tel: +27 (0)21 444 7114 Email: imesawc@imesa.org.za FREE STATE & NORTHERN CAPE Secretary: Wilma Van Der Walt Tel: +27 (0)83 457 4362 Email: imesafsnc@imesa.org.za All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers. _____________________________________________
An immediate priority is the need to tackle the growing number of potholes nationally. In addition to restoring road integrity, pothole repairs present huge and much-needed employment and business opportunities for communities and SMMEs. Pothole repair programmes also serve as important case studies of how and why roads deteriorate, especially if these are premature failures. That has a bearing on future design, material selection and construction methodology so that roads are built right the first time. In the end, it’s all about implementation. In this respect, there’s an exciting new development from Shisalanga Construction, a company that pioneered the local application of plastic asphalt. The roads expert has developed a prototype pothole-patching trailer capable of patching between 5 t to 8 t of asphalt per day. This invention could be a real game changer for municipalities and showcases how there’s always a solution to any problem.
Alastair @infrastructure4
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President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that, “The Infrastructure Investment Plan identifies roads projects worth R19 billion covering the spine of the South African road network. Work is under way to finalise project finance structuring for these projects.” For the roads industry, the when and how still need to be mapped out in more detail, but Sanral’s recent KZN award is certainly encouraging. Aside from national routes, it would also be ideal if some of this funding could be allocated to rural roads projects designed to connect communities that remain cut off from the mainstream economy.
Wastewa ter
& NRW interven tions
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