Media are cordially invited to join Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele, Chairperson of the Transport Portfolio Committee Ms Ruth Bhengu, Mayors from the Ugu District in KwaZulu-Natal as well as other dignitaries and senior officials at the S’hamba Sonke Roads Programme Stakeholder Engagement and launch of Phase 2 of the Ugu Intervention Programme in the Ugu District tomorrow, Tuesday, 17 May 2011.
The S'hamba Sonke - Moving Together roads infrastructure upgrade and maintenance programme, which was officially launched by Minister Ndebele in KwaZulu-Natal on 18 April 2011, is a new roads upgrade and maintenance initiative to fix and upgrade the entire secondary road network of South Africa. The programme will create new opportunities for emerging contractors and jobs across the country. Minister Ndebele also launched the programme In the Eastern Cape last Friday, 13 May 2011.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Venue: KwaMachi Tribal Court, Ugu District, KwaZulu-Natal
Time: 11h30 for 12h00
RSVP: Journalists attending should meet at the Offices of the Ugu District Municipality, 28 Connor Street, Port Shepstone at 09h00 tomorrow, 17 May 2011 from where the dignitaries will depart for the various site visits before the formal programme at KwaMachi Tribal Court.
Journalists must confirm attendance with:
Sphelele Cele
Cell: 071 6750 707
In partnership with all provinces, the S'hamba Sonke programme will improve access to schools, clinics and other social and economic opportunities by drastically upgrading the secondary roads network and fixing and repairing potholes throughout the country. An amount of R6,4 billion will be spent on this initiative across the Republic in 2011/12.
S'hamba Sonke is a new and innovative, nation-wide drive to focus on the maintenance of the secondary road infrastructure using labour intensive methods of construction and maintenance.
The Department of Transport has set aside R6.4 billion in 2011/12, R7.5 billion in 2012/13 and R8.2 billion for 2013/14, amounting to a total of R22.3 billion in the medium term.
Approximately 70 000 jobs will be created during the 2011/12 financial year as a target in relation to the routine maintenance of roads and infrastructure in line with the Zibambele initiative.
Zibambele, which means "doing it ourselves", is a form of routine road maintenance using labour-intensive methods in which a family or household is contracted through a provincial department to maintain a specific length of road on a part-time basis. The national roll-out of the Zibambele initiative will form part of S'hamba Sonke.
Historically, South Africa has invested mainly in the construction of roads without striking the balance between maintenance and construction, whilst the international benchmark is a 60/40 split between maintenance and construction. Through programmes such as S'hamba Sonke, South Africa will be able to match the international benchmark.
Enquiries:
Thami Ngidi
Cell: 082 888 0852
