SANRAL has awarded a project to improve the R510, Section 2, from Bierspruit at km 6.4 to Thabazimbi at km 33.8 in Limpopo province.
This road passes through chrome, iron and platinum mining areas and thus carries high traffic volumes and a high percentage of heavy vehicles. The main travelling benefits of the improvement are safety and shorter travelling times, increased passing opportunities from adding passing lanes and 3 m wide paved shoulders.
The economic benefits are that 30% of the contract value will be spent on targeted enterprises, and 8% will go to local labour. It will create an estimated 100 new jobs at the project’s peak and throughout the project.
The project will widen the existing carriageway and provide surfaced shoulders and passing lanes. It will strengthen the existing pavement by reworking existing layers. It will improve vertical and horizontal alignments and drainage, upgrade intersections, and lengthen and upgrade existing minor and major structures where there is insufficient capacity.
There will be access materials for base and subbase construction from stockpiles in the surrounding areas due to mining activities along the road. The project will accommodate traffic flow.
The Thabazimbi Local Municipality (TLM) is currently compiling a nomination list for the proposed members of the Project Liaison Committee (PLC). As indicated, there will be work opportunities for targeted enterprises invited from the Thabazimbi Local Municipal area and who will be engaged as sub-contractors to the main contractor.
The tender amount is R458 million, the consultant is Royal HaskoningDHV, and the contractor is Raubex Construction (Pty) Ltd. The Project Manager is Alan Agaienz, who can be contacted on 012 426 6200 or agaienza@nra.co.za
SANRAL’s Northern Region Manager, Mr Hlahla, indicated that this is a crucial link in the Limpopo province, and travellers would benefit from improved travelling times and road safety. He noted that the project would benefit local SMMEs and positively impact the local economy. He looked forward to working with the community and the local authority to implement this project.
