ROADS & BRIDGES | KWAZULU-NATAL
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN
emerging and established contractors
The completed Msunduze River Bridge
Kevin Volmink, Pr Eng, sector manager: Construction, Naidu Consulting
The Msunduze River Bridge is a four-span reinforced concrete structure straddling a total of 65 m over the Msunduze River in the iLembe District’s Mandeni Local Municipality. It was successfully completed in November 2021, with a construction value of R31.2 million, and will unlock long-lasting socio-economic benefits. By Kevin Volmink & Santosh Soobryan 18
IMIESA February 2022
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eyond the construction of the bridge, the works included the upgrade of the L3110 gravel road and its associated stormwater infrastructure. The project’s successful completion has not only provided new infrastructure – improving the level of service delivery for the Nyoni and neighbouring communities – but has also realised significant initiatives that have uplifted and developed the skills of local community members and targeted enterprise contractors. The project targets for job creation, targeted enterprise development, as well as training and skills transfer were all exceeded through a collaborative effort of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Naidu Consulting and Icon Construction. This was realised through detailed planning, social facilitation and the implementation of labour-intensive construction principles.
Targeted enterprise development Targeted enterprise development is aimed at exposing emerging contractors to a
Santosh Soobryan, Pr Eng, assistant resident engineer, Naidu Consulting
structured entrepreneurial development programme and to provide proactive management support with ‘on-the-job’ practical training and mentorship. The outcome is to ensure emerging contractors develop their commercial, managerial, practical and administrative skills, enabling them to take on more complex construction projects and encourage growth from a microenterprise to an established contractor. Five targeted enterprise subcontractors were employed on the Msunduze River Bridge project to undertake the following activities: • two CIDB grade 1CE PE – Drainage, guardrails, and landscaping • one CIDB grade 2CE PE – Gabions • one CIDB grade 3CE PE – Bulk earthworks • one CIDB grade 4CE PE – Concrete and reinforcing. All five of the targeted enterprise subcontractors completed their scope of work with a high degree of quality and within the scheduled timeframes. As a result of the successful completion of their works, as well as the development and training opportunities received, two of the targeted
