SANRAL UNVEILS R13 MILLION EMERGENCY ROAD REPAIRS PROJECT IN BUSHBUCKRIDGE

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has unveiled a R13 million emergency road rehabilitation project in Bushbuckridge, aimed at repairing infrastructure damaged by severe flooding earlier this year.

The project forms part of a broader R46 million allocation for flood-damaged road infrastructure across the region, with SANRAL encouraging local businesses and residents to take advantage of opportunities created by the development.

The project was officially introduced during a stakeholder engagement session held at the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality today, where SANRAL Mpumalanga Stakeholder Coordinator, Melba Geca, outlined the planned rehabilitation work and opportunities available to local communities.

Geca explained that the flooding caused significant damage to road structures, drainage systems and culverts across parts of Bushbuckridge, necessitating urgent repairs to restore the affected infrastructure.

During the engagement, SANRAL also introduced the appointed main contractor and engineering team responsible for implementing the project.

A key component of the initiative is local economic empowerment through SANRAL's Contract Participation Goals (CPG) framework. Under the programme, 30% of the contract value has been set aside for local subcontractors, suppliers and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

The project is also expected to create employment opportunities for local residents through labour requirements associated with the construction work.

Geca encouraged local businesses and community members to participate in the process by engaging with the Project Liaison Committee (PLC) and ensuring that they have the necessary compliance documents to qualify for subcontracting and supply opportunities.

SANRAL emphasised the importance of community involvement, noting that local participation will be key to ensuring that the project delivers both infrastructure improvements and meaningful economic benefits to the Bushbuckridge community.