Sanral to spend R50bn on road upgrades across the country

The SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) has announced it is evaluating 96 tenders worth R35bn for the maintenance of the existing national road network, and to build new road infrastructure.

The agency said it is injecting at least R50bn into the economy, with 86 contracts worth R15bn awarded since the start of the 2024/25 financial year on April 1 2024. A further R1.8bn worth of tenders is to be advertised in the coming days and weeks, said the agency.

The tenders in evaluation are spread across the country, with:

• 34 worth R16.5bn in Gauteng, the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga;
• 24 tenders worth R3.8bn for the Eastern Cape;
• 12 for the Western Cape and Northern Cape worth R2bn;
• 12 for KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State worth R11.7bn; and
• 14 tenders at the head office worth R839m. 

The projects include:

• N2 Wild Coast road: Construction of the Msikaba and Mtentu bridges and the road leading from Lingeni intersection, and construction of the road from Lingeni village to Msikaba bridge worth R2.2bn is imminent. Completion of the project is expected early in 2025.
• R56 Matatiele: Maintenance on the 39km stretch to the KwaZulu-Natal boundary worth R1.2bn.
• N2 KwaBhaca to Ngcweleni River: The R1.2bn improvement contract for the N2 between KwaBhaca and Ngcweleni River. 
• Moloto Road: Work on the R573 project in Mpumalanga is progressing steadily, and Sanral has acquired land to continue with construction of upcoming phases. A tender worth R893m for upgrades of section 2 of the project between KwaMhlanga and Enkeldoorn has been awarded. The 23km portion from Toitskraal to Marble Hall is under construction and the contractor to start work on the Gauteng section of the R573 will be appointed soon.
• N2 Ermelo to KwaZulu-Natal border: Upgrades to the N2 between Ermelo and the KwaZulu-Natal border have five packages advertised and under evaluation. The Panbult interchange is under construction as is the N2 between Bloemendal and eMkhondo. The tender, worth R3.8bn, was recently awarded.
• R52 upgrades: Upgrades between Rustenburg and Koster in the North West continue, including to the R510 towards Thabazimbi.
• R21 and N1 sinkholes: The rehabilitation of the R21 between Pomona Road and the Olifantsfontein interchange continues, and plans are under way to advertise additional tenders for periodic maintenance of the sections covering the N1, N3 and N12 in Gauteng.
• N2 Cape Town upgrade: The 12km portion of the N2 between Swartklip interchange and Baden Powell interchange is under design. The upgrade includes a four-to-eight lane highway, four major interchange upgrades  and pedestrian safety infrastructure. A 6km portion needs to be raised due to increased water levels, said Sanral, with project costs estimated at R2bn. It will be advertised in November.
• N1, Old Oak to Koelenhof: The detailed design has been completed for the improvement of the interchanges. The estimated cost is more than R3bn for upgrading from a four lane to six/eight lane divided highway with pedestrian safety infrastructure and street lighting over the entire length. 
• N7: Upgrades to the N7 in the Western Cape are ongoing on more than 40km of a dual carriageway freeway and eight interchanges constructed between Malmesbury and Moorreesburg. The value is R600m and due for completion in early 2025.
• Huguenot tunnel: Upgrades to the tunnel add to improvements made in the past 24 months, including lighting, ventilation and fire detection systems. Sanral is preparing to market a five-year contract at a cost of R4bn.
• N2/N3: A R50bn upgrade to the N2 and N3 freeways in KwaZulu-Natal is under way, with progress made on the KwaMashu and EB Cloete interchanges linking the N2 and N3 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with an increased capacity from 20 to 32 lanes planned. Enhancements on the N3 between Key Ridge south and Hammarsdale are in the pipeline, with a further R1.2bn earmarked for upgrades to the KwaMashu interchange to Umdloti. Completion is due in September 2026.