The road will be upgraded from gravel to tar by Sanral. The duration will be 15 months. “The contractors on this project have just been appointed by Sanral and the project participation benefits will bolster economic recovery, empower local communities and create numerous employment opportunities, for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs),” said Chikunga.

Chikunga urged communities not to allow construction mafias to disrupt work. “SMMEs will be appointed as subcontractors to the value of R43m where we expect youth-owned businesses to be allocated 5%. People with disabilities and military veterans will also benefit. “We have allocated R11.5m for targeted local labour because it is a labour-intensive project,” she said.

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She said even though the road is not in Sanral sphere of work, they have agreed to finance it. “Anyone unhappy about not having a road should now be happy that the contractors are here to build the road. “We request the community to ensure that this project is safe. The contractor on site must not be disturbed for any reason.”

“We will not allow construction mafias to interfere with this project. Anyone demanding anything will be committing a criminal act.” Sanral’s Northern Region manager, Progress Hlahla, under the guidance of the presidential employment stimulus (PES), Sanral’s strategic initiatives aim to catalyse socio-economic growth fostering collaboration and community involvement.

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Mmapula Molewa, a resident in Calais said that they are happy that the road will be upgraded. “Villages with gravel roads suffer as taxi owners do not want to servcie our areas because their taxis will be damaged. It is good to see some improvements locally and we thank everyone involved in this project,” she said.