The SA
National Roads Agency (Sanral) has announced that it would be putting out to
tender contracts worth billions of rand for the upgrading of the N2 and N3 over
the ensuing weeks.
The
state-owned road agency said this would include the upgrading of the N2 from
Kwamashu Interchange to Mhloti Interchange, the upgrading of the N3 from Cato
Ridge to Dardanells, and from Dardanells to Lynnfield Interchange.
Sanral
said in a statement that a stipulation of the contracts was that successful
tenderers must be Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Level 1 to 4
and sub-contract a minimum of 30% of the value of the contract to exempt
micro-enterprises (EMEs) or qualifying small enterprises (QSEs) that are more
than 51% black-owned.
It said a
minimum of 8% of each of the contracts would also be required to be spent on
various types of labour opportunities from targeted areas.
Dumisani
Nkabinde, regional manager of Sanral Eastern Region, said the state-owned
entity was committed to the transformation of the engineering and construction
sectors through community development projects during the N2 and N3 upgrades.
“Investment
in roads infrastructure upgrades, especially in rural and underdeveloped
communities, provides an opportunity for generating economic growth,
alleviating poverty, reducing the scourge of inequality and increasing
international competitiveness.
“SANRAL
is committed to breaking down monopolies in supply chains and ensuring the
broad-based participation of black South Africans.
“Clear
guidelines and structures have been put in place to ensure local communities
benefit directly from the procurement of goods and services from local
suppliers to giving preference to the creation of local jobs,” he said.
Nkabinde
said SANRAL’s transformation policy set clearly defined targets for the
participation of black contractors, professionals and suppliers in all of its
projects.
The
upgrading of the N2 and N3 is expected to take between six to eight years to
complete as various phases of the project are being let to tender.
The upgrade of the N2 will focus on a 55-km length, from Lovu River, on the South Coast, to Umdloti, on the North Coast. The N3 upgrade will focus on an 80-km section from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/sanral-contracts-worth-billions-of-rand-up-for-grabs-for-b-bbee-tenderers-32808322
