SANRAL upgrades roads across Eastern Cape towns

The towns of Ndabakazi, Qumrha, Bhisho, and Ngqushwa in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province have transformed into major construction zones, driven by large-scale road development projects spearheaded by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL)

These initiatives are being rolled out across the Mnquma, Great Kei, Ngqushwa, and Buffalo City municipalities.

SANRAL, which is responsible for managing South Africa’s national road network, has invested over R3.5 billion (approx. US$189mn) into building and rehabilitating key routes in the region.

“The Ndabakazi Intermodal Interchange project that is currently under construction will go a long way in easing traffic flow, reduce road accidents, and provide job opportunities for the local community. Through this project, 240 jobs have been provided, empowering the local community with the necessary skills that are needed to work on it,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s provincial head for the Eastern Cape.

Peterson added, “Interns working on the project have also been taken through different training programmes that are designed to cater for their qualifications and training needs. We currently have two interns with a BTech Engineering qualification, one with an Advanced Diploma in Environmental Management, one with an S4 qualification in Civil Engineering, two with L2 Building Technology qualifications, and two interns with an N6 Civil Engineering that are working on the project.”

The Ndabakazi project began in February 2023 and is expected to be completed by August this year. It includes improvements to the N2 national road, construction of a new bridge, and development of a taxi rank.

Meanwhile, upgrades to the R63 national road between Bhisho and Qumrha are underway to revitalise surrounding towns. The R63 to N2 Qumrha T-Junction project started in May 2023 and is scheduled for completion in June 2025. It includes road widening, enhanced road markings, and upgraded intersections with dedicated right-turn lanes. By April, the project had generated 364 job opportunities, with training provided by accredited service providers.

Further improvements on the R63—from Bhisho to the N6 national road—will include 16 upgraded road intersections, 12 km of pedestrian walkways, 3 km of access roads, and 5 km of community service roads. A new taxi rank is also being developed in Peelton. According to Peterson, over 259 people have been employed on this segment, including five people living with disabilities.

Another key initiative is the upgrade of the N2 route from Ngqushwa to Makhana. The road is being widened to reduce congestion and accident rates. Works include the supply and compaction of subbase and base layer materials, installation of three new underpasses or culverts, and the extension of two existing structures.

“The project has created 419 permanent full-time job opportunities, and a total of 436 people have been trained on it,” Peterson noted.

SANRAL currently manages 5,885 km of road in the Eastern Cape—the longest portion of its 27,50 km national network.