THE South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has been recognised for its road infrastructure investments in the Eastern Cape.
SANRAL received the Premier’s Special Recognition Award at the Batho Pele Service Excellence and Innovation Awards ceremony held in East London on March 9.
The awards recognise public servants, and various stakeholders, who provide excellent service delivery by putting people first. It also highlights their contribution and the role played in developing the province’s economy.
“At the heart of our success should be the culture of our professionalism that we must consistently instil in our workforce. As we celebrate the achievements of our employees, we must also recognise the challenges that lie ahead. We face a rapid world ahead that demands new skills, new approaches and new ways of thinking. This is the year of decisive action to advance the interest of our people,” said Eastern Cape premier, Oscar Mabuyane.
The roads agency has invested R7.2 billion in road infrastructure during the 2022/2023 financial year.
“SANRAL has long been a key and strategic partner to the provincial government and local municipalities in the Eastern Cape,” said Mabuyane.
The rationale for recognition of the award included: the maintenance and improvement of the national routes through the province over the past two decades whereby SANRAL has taken over responsibility for all the major provincial routes, as well as many other key economic routes.
The award also recognises SANRAL, which has over the years acted as an implementing agent for projects funded by the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury, and the provincial Transport Department and partnered with both metros on projects of mutual benefit.
However, it is in the many smaller but no less important areas that SANRAL really shines. Despite only having a small staff complement, SANRAL officials and their appointed service providers can always be found across the length and breadth of the Eastern Cape – conducting community and stakeholder meetings, running Project Liaison Committee meetings, meeting with business, local and traditional leadership, and addressing and resolving stakeholder issues.
In addition, SANRAL has also taken to heart government’s resolve to uplift and transform local business, and particularly the construction industry, not just sub-contractors but suppliers and service providers too. All SANRAL’s contracts not only include the minimum 30 percent Goal for Targeted Enterprises, but also minimum goals for local labour and the training of appointed labourers and SMMEs.
SANRAL also extends their mandate to the development of micro-enterprises in the province through multiple stand-alone mentoring and training contracts using the construction of local access roads. Communities alongside SANRAL projects also benefit from non-construction-related skills training and other legacy projects.
“We are honoured to have received this prestigious accolade. Our staff members and professional partners can be proud of the world-class infrastructure that we have built, and continue to build. The infrastructure that we build is not only for mobility but to improve road safety and accessibility to facilities,” said SANRAL Southern Region manager Mbulelo Peterson.
– ISSUED BY FTI COUNSULTING ON BEHALF OF SANRAL
