POLOKWANE – Provincial Government and the Department of Transport officially announced the contractor for the long-awaited St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) interchange at Boyne on the R71.

Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba and Transport Minister Barbara Creecy formally introduced Raubex Construction, which will build the R450m grade-separated interchange, during a site handover at the church headquarters. The project was presented to ZCC leader Bishop Right Reverend Dr Engenas Lekganyane.

Funding and partnership

Ramathuba said the project had initially received an allocation of R125m in the 2025/26 provincial budget through the Roads Agency Limpopo (Ral), with the total investment now standing at approximately R450m.

The partnership between the national Department of Transport, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) and Provincial Government aims to ensure that the project meets national infrastructure standards while addressing local transport needs.

A key route under pressure

The R71, which links Polokwane and Tzaneen, is one of Limpopo’s busiest roads. It also serves as a key route to the Kruger National Park and connects the province with Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

Traffic congestion becomes particularly severe during the annual Easter gathering of the ZCC at the Holy City of Moria in Boyne, when hundreds of thousands of worshippers travel to the church headquarters by bus, taxi and private vehicle. The influx places considerable pressure on the road network, creating congestion and raising safety concerns.

Designed to separate local and through traffic

The new interchange, at the intersection of the R71 and D4020, is designed to separate local traffic from vehicles travelling along the main route. Through traffic will be able to continue without stopping, while access to the church grounds and surrounding communities will be made safer.

The development aims to ease bottlenecks, reduce the risk of accidents and improve journeys for daily commuters and pilgrims attending the annual gathering.

Construction will include new bridges, ramps, improved drainage systems and traffic management infrastructure.

Once completed, the interchange is expected to improve traffic flow and road safety, reduce travel times and support economic activity by making transport more efficient for residents, businesses and road users in Boyne and Polokwane.