CAPE TOWN – The SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) has announced that it would be putting out to tender contracts worth billions of rand for the upgrading of the N2 and N3 over the ensuing weeks.
The state-owned road agency said this would include the upgrading of the N2 from Kwamashu Interchange to Mhloti Interchange, the upgrading of the N3 from Cato Ridge to Dardanells, and from Dardanells to Lynnfield Interchange.
Sanral said in a statement that a stipulation of the contracts was that successful tenderers must be Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Level 1 to 4 and sub-contract a minimum of 30 percent of the value of the contract to exempt micro-enterprises (EMEs) or qualifying small enterprises (QSEs) that are more than 51 percent black-owned.
It said a minimum of 8 percent of each of the contracts would also be required to be spent on various types of labour opportunities from targeted areas.
Dumisani Nkabinde, regional manager of Sanral Eastern Region, said the state-owned entity was committed to the transformation of the engineering and construction sectors through community development projects during the N2 and N3 upgrades.
“Investment in roads infrastructure upgrades, especially in rural and underdeveloped communities, provides an opportunity for generating economic growth, alleviating poverty, reducing the scourge of inequality and increasing international competitiveness.
“SANRAL is committed to breaking down monopolies in supply chains and ensuring the broad-based participation of black South Africans.
“Clear guidelines and structures have been put in place to ensure local communities benefit directly from the procurement of goods and services from local suppliers to giving preference to the creation of local jobs,” he said.
Nkabinde said SANRAL’s transformation policy set clearly defined targets for the participation of black contractors, professionals and suppliers in all of its projects.
The upgrading of the N2 and N3 is expected to take between six to eight years to complete as various phases of the project are being let to tender.
The upgrade of the N2 will focus on a 55km length, from Lovu River, on the South Coast, to Umdloti, on the North Coast. The N3 upgrade will focus on an 80km section from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.