Speaker notes by North West Premier, Prof Tebogo Job Mokgoro on the occasion of the opening of the N12 access road in Matlosana
Programme Director,
MEC for Public Works and Roads, Mme Johanna Mmule Maluleke, Executive Mayor of the City of Matlosana, Cllr Maetu Kgaile, Members of the Mayoral Committee of the City of Matlosana, Ward Councillors,
Senior Managers of various government departments,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good day.
It is very imperative to note that roads are a crucial contribution to economic development and growth in any country as they continue bring important social benefits as well as economic activity stimulation.
Road infrastructure is thus vitally important in order to make a nation grow and develop; and as a country and province, we are not immune to that growth and development effect brought about by a well-developed road network.
For those reasons, road infrastructure has become one of the most important of all public assets.
The North West Provincial Government resolved at its EXCO meeting in July this year, after receiving a report from the South African National Road Agency
Limited regarding the road network landscape in the country with specific attention to the North West, to partner with SANRAL to ensure that crack sealing and cleaning of drainage structures on our major roads is prioritised to make that there is continuous upkeep of the provincial road network.
It is worth noting that South Africa has the 10th longest paved road network in the world and should bode well with our intention to boost and stiumalte the South African economy.
It should be worth noting that significant portions of the road network in the province have been transferred to SANRAL and progress is being registered regarding the upgrading of the road network in the province.
SANRAL further highlighted that in the context of the 30 percent subcontracting arrangement, it continues to ensure the empowerment of local communities through the projects that are being undertaken.
The SANRAL report also revealed that they are in a position to provide a formal training programme to young people in the province, as SANRAL has an academy that can assist to enroll them.
This includes serving public servants that have qualifications but need professional registration.
Therefore, these 5,32 kilometers stretch of road that we are officially opening today is testimony to that commitment we have made to improve the province’s road infrastructure as this town is a key transit point from Johannesburg to Cape Town for the haulage industry.
The number of trucks that pass through the N12 from Gauteng to the ports of the Western Cape and vice versa are also major economic contributors to the
North West province as revenue is continuously generated from the money those cargo trucks use while in transit.
However, we have also witnessed the fact that emerging contractors have benefitted from this project because from the over R56-million government invested in the project, R15,7-milllion went to sub-contractors.
There was a total number of 91 local labourers that were employed on this project, working an average of 21 days a month during the duration of the project and the total spent on salaries was R 9-million.
On the job training and skills development was also provided throughout the project and the following categories of people were the main beneficiaries of that training which included life and technical skills:
- 64 adult males,
- 37 adult females,
- 151 young men, and
- 149 young women.
Besides the construction and rehabilitation of the road, government has put in place measures to ensure that people are skilled and trained in the process and that initiative should be commended.
In addition, a total of ten sub-contractors were appointed; all of whom were on CIDB Grade 1CE to do amongst others, road markings, kerbing, edge beams and paving as well as drainage.
This has the capability of contributing to them attaining a higher CIDB grading in the near future.
I wish to congratulate the Department of Public Works and Roads on this noble initiative.
This government will continue to empower and improve the lives of our people, especially women and youth because we are a caring government.
We can only do better if we continue working together as government, communities and the private sector to change the lives of South Africans and the people of the North West for the better.
The people will continue to benefit immensely from these Public-Private Partnerships that we are cementing with institutions such as SANRAL and the others.
I thank you.
