TONGA – Several upcoming road upgrade and maintenance projects in the area are set to benefit small businesses and communities in Nkomazi.
The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (Sanral) discussed plans for several projects over the next few years during a stakeholder meeting at the Block B community hall on Friday.
The meeting was also attended by the new MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Pat Ngomane and Nkomazi mayor, Johan Mkhatshwa.
Madoda Mthembu, Sanral’s operations and maintenance manager explained that one of the projects is the improvement of the R581 from the R570 intersection near One Tree Hill to Tonga.
Construction is set to begin in 2021, as the project is currently still in the design phase. It will include passing or climbing lanes, earth and layer works, as well as safety, drainage and structural improvements.
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There will also be 176 kilometres of rain maintenance projects, which will include general maintenance of the road reserve, cutting grass, storm water drainage, fencing and road signs.
Mthembu explained that Sanral wants to involve the communities in the immediate vicinity of the projects and help develop smaller, emerging contractors.
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The impact of roads on Mpumalanga’s economy was also discussed and Ngomane stressed that communities must benefit from Sanral’s work.
“We want to develop Nkomazi and place factories and manufacturing companies near the border, benefiting the people of Mpumalanga. Good roads are important for this to be achieved. As we plan to grow our economy, we will need more roads. Let us begin by taking care of our current ones,” he stated.
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Mkhatshwa thanked Sanral for making business people aware of where to go to access opportunities at the institution. “We as a province are strategically located between two countries and this should mean opportunities for our people. We need this to become more than just strategic placement. We want to see things happening,” he said.
Mthembu told attendees that Sanral provides opportunities for small contractors with limited experience through various community development programmes.
Main contractors are required to subcontract 30 per cent of the contact values to SMMEs, as per government policy. They sometimes enter into joint ventures with lower-grading contractors.
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Mthembu cautioned local businesses that all transactions need to be conducted above board.
“As much as we would all like to see transformation take place quickly, local businesses must understand that we cannot do this outside of the prescripts of the law. We are guided by the Public Finance Management Act, which binds us to doing business fairly,” he concluded.
