Keynote address delivered by the Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, on the occasion of the official opening of the Montrose Interchange in Mbombela, Mpumalanga
Programme Director, Mr Chris Hlabisa, Deputy Director-General: Roads,
MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Mr Mandla
Executive Mayor of the City of Mbombela, Councillor Makhushe-Mazibuko
Members of the Board of SANRAL led by the Chairperson, Mr Themba Mhambi
Managing Director of Trans African Concessions, Mr Alex van Niekerk, our concessionaire that executed this project
Representatives of organisations, companies and communities who have contributed to making this project a success
Ladies and gentlemen
Today’s official opening of the revamped Montrose Interchange is an important milestone in our efforts to deliver road
infrastructure that enables our people access to centres of economic activity and social infrastructure.
This interchange plays an equally important role in enabling economic activity and trade through the Maputo corridor that traverses the N4 highway. The N4 also plays a crucial role in enabling tourism in the magnificent Province of Mpumalanga and the neighbouring countries of Mozambique and eSwatini.
Our road infrastructure, which includes bridges and motorways, plays a pivotal role in the livelihoods of millions of South Africans in all walks of life. This important role is best illustrated during periods of disaster when the destruction of roads and bridges cut off communities from any form of social or economic activity.
This challenge is more pronounced in rural areas and therefore requires of us to redouble our efforts to accelerate our road infrastructure development initiatives across all spheres of government.
Work on this project commenced in November 2021, and in less than two years the project has been completed. This is a commendable milestone and another important service delivery project by our government.
The completion of this interchange should not be seen in isolation, but as part of the government’s broader plan to roll out infrastructure to re-ignite South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery following the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Infrastructure is the principal driver of our economic reconstruction and recovery, which must also give impetus to the emergence of the new economy driven by small and medium enterprises. The government has prioritised infrastructure projects to support economic growth and better livelihoods, especially in energy, roads and water management.
Several catalytic projects to the value of R21 billion have already started construction in 2023. Of this, R2.6 billion is contributed by the government and the balance by the private sector and developmental finance institutions.
The Montrose Interchange, which is managed by Trans African Concessions in partnership with our national roads agency, SANRAL, is aimed at improving mobility to facilitate movement of freight and services between Gauteng and Mpumalanga, and between South Africa and Mozambique, with particular emphasis on exports and imports via the Port of Maputo.
The upgrade of this interchange is the first in 30 years, and is set to boost the economies of three countries – South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana – by enhancing the movement of goods and people. Improved and safer access roads, and reduced travel times will also stimulate further economic growth through this project.
TRAC manages the N4 Toll Route, which starts at the Solomon Mahlangu off-ramp in Gauteng and ends in Maputo, Mozambique. The N4 Toll Route is a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) toll road. TRAC became the custodians of this road in 1997 when it signed a 30-year concession contract with the South African and Mozambican national roads agencies – the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) and Mozambique’s National Roads Administration (ANE).
Aptly labelled the Maputo Corridor, the N4 Toll Route is the catalyst for trade and investment between three South African landlocked provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as neighbouring countries. These three provinces are endowed with natural resources and the corridor links them directly to international markets through the Port of Maputo. The N4 Toll Route also links the Cities of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to the port. This makes it a favourite among transporters because it connects to the N12 near Emalahleni, and its world-class road infrastructure makes it reliable, convenient and safe.
As the concessionaire of this corridor, TRAC develops, manages and maintains the road’s infrastructure and related services throughout the concession period to achieve the desired economic development outcomes. Given this responsibility, construction, upgrades and routine maintenance projects along the route are ongoing and ensure that the South African and Mozambican governments, who are the legal owners of the N4 road, will receive a practically new, quality road at the end of the concession in 2027.
Construction, rehabilitation, upgrades, day-to-day maintenance and operations are possible through funds generated from toll fees charged at TRAC’s six mainline plazas and four ramp plazas along the route. These plazas are the Diamond Hill (with four associated ramp plazas), Middelburg, Machado and Nkomazi in South Africa, and Moamba and Maputo in Mozambique.
SANRAL has invested in the tune of R216 million on this project to revolutionise the experiences of motorists, pedestrians, businesses and communities around Mpumalanga. The interchange has created 350 jobs and provided subcontracting opportunities for at least 10 local companies.
This project has brought positive economic benefits for the Mbombela communities, particularly for SMMEs. Many SMMEs benefited by learning new skills and growing their companies. For skills and transformation initiatives, Raubex introduced Labour-Intensive Training to capacitate the locals by giving them practical work experience to take place before the formal training from an accredited training institution. This enables them to understand their scope of work better, before moving to the theoretical platform. Forty-four (44) emerging contractors have benefitted from the project and 834 local people benefitted through employment.
There are similar community benefits from other roads projects in the province. For instance, there are 14 SANRAL community development projects which are spread across the Gert Sibande District Municipality, Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, Greater Groblersdal District Municipality, Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality and Thaba Chweu Local Municipality. One of these is the improvement and construction of pedestrian safety facilities on the national road R37, from Modikwa mine to Burgersfort. The tender value is approximately R600 million. It is
estimated that at least 20 SMMEs will be employed on the project, and more than 300 job opportunities will be created.
In addition to the Montrose Interchange, SANRAL is implementing various projects in the Mpumalanga province, such as the Moloto Road that interconnects the three provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga; the National Road R23 in Lekwa District Municipality; and the R33 which crosses through Mkhondo and Msukaligwa Local Municipalities.
SANRAL has approximately 2 500km of road network where maintenance is being done through RRM projects in the province.
Maintenance of the road is an ongoing exercise and is the only consistent activity within the SANRAL road network that is critical to create jobs for local communities and subcontracting opportunities for targeted businesses on an ongoing basis.
In conclusion, government efforts to continually improve the state of our national roads is meant to facilitate easier movement of people, services and products between provinces and our neighbouring countries. The ultimate goal is to improve the lives and livelihoods of our people through various opportunities such infrastructure provides.
This interchange is a tangible illustration of how public private partnerships (PPPs) should work. The partnership between SANRAL, representing government, and TRAC has delivered more than a successful road to this province.
We are also witness to how SANRAL’s Horizon 2030 strategy has been effectively implemented. Having the effect of unlocking opportunities in the construction industry for those who could not benefit previously because the barriers to entry were too high. Horizon 2030 places at the centre of any project job creation and skills development, with must realise sustainable livelihoods of communities. SANRAL therefore ensures that the communities receive training through these project upgrades, which communities must continue to benefit them long after the construction has stopped.
Thank you joining us for this momentous occasion and bear witness to service delivery in action. I now declare this interchange officially open.
I thank you.
