Sanral subcontractor empowers the disabled

Issued by SANRAL
Pretoria, Nov 6, 2017

Sweeping and cleaning company, Babore Gauteng, has changed the lives of five disabled Alexandra residents who have gained full-time jobs in the company's broom manufacturing hub.

Babore Gauteng is subcontracted for routine maintenance of Gauteng freeways which are managed by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral).

Its activities include litter picking, sweeping, clearing drains and debris on the eastern, southern and western freeways.

Babore's Gauteng Director, Swys Joubert, explains that they started with hand labour to clean the freeways but now use automated cleaning machines.

"Each machine is fitted with four brooms which need to be replaced weekly," Joubert explains. "Since we manufacture the brooms in-house, we ring-fenced this type of work for disabled Alexandra residents looking for employment."

Sanral project manager Oakley van Eyk says this is a perfect example of what Sanral stands for - the upliftment of the community, empowering disabled individuals and creating sustainable work opportunities.

"As Sanral, we are encouraged when businesses we work with make a meaningful contribution to create opportunities for previously disadvantaged individuals and groups," says Van Eyk.

Sandile Tshabalala, 24, gained his first job when he joined Babore's 'broom factory' in 2014. He says securing work at Babore has changed his life for the better.

A recent addition to the 'broom factory' is 29-year-old Jacqueline Sibanda who joined Babore in February. She says: "This job has helped me a lot because I was unemployed. I can now do my own things, I don't have to ask. I can provide for myself and my family."

Babore is a long-standing Sanral subcontractor. The company has done work on Sanral roads since 2007 under various routine road maintenance contractors. The company has grown to becoming one of South Africa's major sweeping and cleaning companies. The level 2 B-BBEE company has a 53% shareholding with black partners and is registered with the Construction Industry Development Board as a grade 5 CEPE contractor.

The company's depot and broom manufacturing hub is based at Sanral's Marlboro Storage Yard.