Village access roads have been completed near Port St Johns

The construction of two village access roads that will ensure increased road safety and all-weather access at the R61 junction outside Port St Johns have been completed, the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) announced.

The project included the upgrading of a 3.24km access track to a surfaced road, with mostly concrete due to steep terrain, construction of associated storm-water drainage system and speed calming humps, in Ndwalane and Caguba villages. Not only will this provide an improved stormwater drainage system, but also safer access, thus ensuring less vehicle congestion and better mobility.

The project included training of 10 local SMEs to be on par with the economy of the area.

During the project handover ceremony, the 10 SMEs and 10 supervisors that received training on the project were awarded with SAQA accredited NQF Level 3 and 4 certificates.

The two-year project created opportunities for 50% women-owned small medium and micro enterprises (SMEs), 30% youth-owned SMEs and jobs for 100 local individuals. The 100 individuals were also trained and received SAQA accredited NQF Level 2 certificates in road construction. Twenty-five local SMEs that did not qualify to be part of the construction project received contract management training and training on the tendering for construction contracts.

Following the completion of the project, it is anticipated that the following Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) upgrades will take place: four Grade 1CEs to Grade 3CE, three Grade 2CEs to 4CE, and three Grade 3 CEs to Grade 5CE contractors.

"Now that the project has been completed, it will provide safe, all-weather access for all road users, as well as community mobility through infrastructure upgrades and safety improvements. The economic spend on this project remains within the community," said Gcobani Socenywa, project manager for SANRAL southern region.

"The upgrading of these two access roads was done by SMEs and not SANRAL. The upgrade will increase the safety to the R61 junction. One of the primary objectives of the programme has been to develop and train local SMEs in various aspects of road building," said Socenywa.

Chief Zwelethu Fono said the community welcomed SANRAL when they announced the plans to upgrade the community access tracks.

"In other communities, when SANRAL wants to deliver services, there is always disagreements among community members. We managed to sit down with them and work together. I have been to SANRAL meetings and learned about the social responsibility and know that SANRAL, as well as the consulting engineers on the project, NKR Consulting Engineers, care about communities," said Chief Fono.

Councillor Moni Xolile, acting Mayor of Port St Johns Local Municipality, said: "I am grateful that SANRAL has contracted a black-owned company like NKR Consulting Engineers to do the groundwork to train the people, you did a good job. Allocating 50% of this project to women and providing them an opportunity in a male-dominated industry is phenomenal."

Xolile encouraged SMEs to grow the economy. "SMEs should come up with solutions on how to guard their economy. They must reinvest in their companies. Building material is still being outsourced; we have to make our own bricks, so that when we need bricks, we source them locally from the area. We need to have our own machinery so that when local contractors get jobs, they don't have a hard time getting the equipment. The road was not built for SANRAL or NKR, it was built for the community, it is your asset, therefore we must look after it," he said.

Sindiswa Ngaphu, owner of Isigingqi Construction, employed six people over the two-year period. Her projects included slurry work, building v-drains, stone pitching and building concrete slabs.

Ngaphu, who lives in Caguba Administrative Area, is a single mother of three. "I was unemployed for five years before this opportunity came along. This project has provided people with jobs and safer roads to use. Before, the roads were really bad, people learned new skills and jobs were created," Ngaphu said.

Cwaba Zonger, owner of Fono Development Programme, employed 10 people on the project. His contract included earthworks, slurry, building curbs, and v-drains. He said the project means a lot for the community. "The area is laden with clay soil, when it rains we have to leave our cars at home and walk to the tar road and hitch hike," said Zonger.

Councillor Knowledge Fono of Ward 9 said the roads would connect communities quicker to each other and to the local building material supply store. He said this would extend the durability of residents' vehicles.

"I am happy the roads will benefit the communities and that residents participated in the project. Residents will reach each other faster now that the roads are built," said Fono.

Dr Mongezi Noah, SANRAL Southern Region community development specialist, says he was glad to see SMEs reinvesting in their businesses. "You find people who get a tender, but they go buy BMWs; here we find that the SMEs procured their own machinery, LDV bakkies, concrete mixers and many more construction resources. The project has enhanced their road construction skills for long term, even beyond the N2 Wild Coast projects," Noah said.

Community empowerment and development

Ten CIDB grade 1 to 3 SMEs were appointed to work on the project and 100 individual jobs were created over the two-year period.

Community empowerment included training of local public liaison committee (PLC) members and unqualified SMEs on how to complete tender documents and contract management skills.

Local businesses also received support from the project in various ways, such as providing catering services, and the purchasing of supplies from the local hardware stores. The community also benefited through the renovation/reconditioning of the Mkhanzini Community Hall, refurbishment of desks at Mkhanzini Primary School, upgrading of the driveway and stormwater management at Gungubele School, as well as the planned construction of shelter at Caguba.

Throughout the duration of the project there were regular PLC meetings, monthly technical and progress meetings, mentor and mentee meetings, as well as ad hoc meetings as and when needed.

"The SMEs foresee themselves maintaining SANRAL roads in this area. The certificates issued to the SMEs also confirm that they are fully qualified on roads and will be able to use them to participate in future projects," said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL Southern Region manager.