The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) in the Southern Region (Eastern Cape) held a 25-year anniversary celebration at the East London International Convention Centre on Friday, 25 August 2023.
The Premier of the Eastern Cape Province, Oscar Mbuyane, speaking at the event, praised SANRAL for building safe road infrastructure that enabled increased economic activity in the Eastern Cape, which empowered local communities to improve their state of living.
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The event marked 25 years since the founding of SANRAL in 1998. SANRAL was established through the South African National Roads Agency Limited and National Roads Act of 1998. The road agency is an entity of the Department of Transport mandated with the management, maintenance and development of South Africa’s proclaimed national road network.
“Our partnership with SANRAL is changing the face of the Eastern Cape province. We enjoy the kaleidoscope of our province’s landscape because of the work being done by SANRAL,” said the Premier, adding that the disruptive “construction mafia” would no longer be tolerated in their attempts to stall development.
SANRAL reflected on the contribution made to the Eastern Cape’s Road infrastructure development throughout the years, as well as planned future projects.
The SANRAL CEO, Reginald Demana, thanked the Southern Region staff for their contribution to SANRAL and the Eastern Cape Province. “There is more demand for SOEs (state-owned entities) to deliver, the work we do carries the economy,” he said, adding that going forward, SANRAL needed to change its operational model to have offices closer to communities.
“Excellence and quality cannot be negotiable at SANRAL. Excellence in a habit, not an event,” said Demana.
Mbulelo Petersen, the Southern Regional Manager, congratulated current and erstwhile staff for their contribution to the 25-year milestone. “The Southern Region is outward looking. We want our people to benefit meaningfully from our projects,” said Peterson.
He added that going forward, more focus would need to be given to the Eastern part of the province where SANRAL could take up key routes for upgrading and maintenance. “Mthatha is the heart of the province and we are working hard to unbundle the road network in that region,” he said.
The celebration underscored the scale of the socio-economic impact SANRAL’s infrastructure build programme has had on jobs creation, skills development and training, small enterprise development and investment in education for communities.
The roads agency has enjoyed sound working relations with the Eastern Cape government and the local sphere of government and looks forward to taking over strategic and primary provincial roads to address the backlog experienced by the province in the upgrading and maintenance of the provincial network. As the roads agency forges into the next 25 years of excellence in building safe roads and engineering the future, it has elevated transformation to become one of its strategic pillars in a bid to ensure that previously marginalised communities and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) benefit from the work it puts out.
Others in attendance at the 25-year celebration included the MEC of the Department of Transport, Executive Mayors and Mayors from municipalities across the province, traditional leaders, business formations and other key stakeholders, as well as the staff of the SANRAL Southern Region office.
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