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Canavon road opening
ROADS
The Department of Roads and Public Works engaged in community building when several road workers went to the school grounds of St Boniface High School (in West end) armed in their reflective and protective clothing in the recently bought Caterpillar graders.
A total of 6 grader operators were trained in operating the Caterpillar 14M on the desolate premises of the St Boniface High School while the remaining 6 grader operators practiced on the Samaria gravel road, just outside Kimberley, using the Bloemfontein exit. The department used this training opportunity to leave the gravel road and its side furrows in a much better condition.
MEC Dawid Rooi stated we should not wait for commemorative days or events such as Nelson Mandela day to take up our social responsibility, but as government we should commit us to rural and community upliftment throughout the entire year; making it part of our daily operation.
This mutual benefitting project started out with the school requesting some assistance from the department as they envisioned that a section of the premises be cleaned in order to start a vegetable garden.
The vegetables would be planted by the schoolkids and the project would be monitored by a horticulturist, Mr Donovan Mukodvu. The school would start planting the vegetables on a small scale and expand systematically. Some of the vegetables which they intend to plant are beans, carrots and spinach. St Boniface High School is not paying the Horticulturist a single sent as he perceives his contribution as a step into the right direction of a very successful community outreach programme.
According to the school principal, Ms Nomvula Dondolo, the produce will be harvested on as Friday and the learners would take it home as a lot of families are struggling and basically just eating pap and bread, with diets lacking protein.
The school principal indicated the school will need some assistance in terms of security and fencing in the vegetable garden. At the resident house of the brothers there is a bore hole which will be used for irrigation purposes.
Besides its daily operations of maintaining and upgrading provincial roads in the Northern Cape, the Department of Roads and Public Works usually engages in projects of these nature by which members of the community benefits or which impacts on social upliftment.
REHABILITATION OF THE HOTAZEL-KURUMAN ROAD
Recently the focus of Roads and Public Works have shifted from roads construction to the maintenance of roads in order to preserve the assets that we have, thus the rehabilitation of this road.
Roads and Public Works have been in close discussion and negotiation with the mines (ASSMANG MANGANESE, UMK: UNITED MANGANESE OF KALAHARI PTY.LTD, BHP BILLITON) to assist in this financial to rehabilitate the road.
This negotiations for today’s established joint venture commenced during in 2009 and 2010 between Roads and Public Works and Assmang Manganese Mines
Towards the end of 2011 UMK and BHP Billiton also made a commitment towards this project.
JOINT VENTURE: FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The various mines are contributing to the rehabilitation of this road the breakdown is as follows:
• Assmang – R 70 million
• BHP Billiton – R17 million
• UMK - R13.68 million
• A complete contribution of R 130.68 million by the mines
• The Department of Roads and Public Works: R 30 million
ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE ROAD
• The investigations were necessitated mainly due to:
o General poor, unsafe and dangerous condition of the road.
o High number of traffic accidents.
o Large increase in traffic volumes during past five years.
• Project background
o The road (R31) is utilized for transportation of manganese from the mines at Hotazel to the export harbours of South Africa.
o It has become a very important economic road in the Northern Cape Road Network.
o Traffic volumes have increased from approximately 600 vehicles (with 90 heavies) in 1993 to 1800 vehicles (with 450 heavies) per day in 2010.
CURRENT CONDITION OF THE ROAD
• The survey highlighted several substandard and dangerous aspects, which include:
• Severe edge breaks
• Narrow width of road
• High shoulder drop-offs
• Road pavement failures and cracking
• Dry and brittle condition of surfacing seal
• Rutting
• Poor shoulder material and general condition
• Poor or absent fencing, resulting in strayed animals in road
• Poor road marking
• Condition of guardrails
• Repair and rehabilitation strategies
• The following need to be considered in the repair and rehabilitation principals:
o To utilize the remaining life of certain sections to the full.
o To optimize the use of in-situ materials.
o The design has to be cost effective and affordable.
o Consider short, medium and long term options.
IMPORTANT HISTORIC BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• A road has a limited lifetime (usually 20 years), after which strengthening or rehabilitation is often needed.
• The road was constructed prior to 1970 (41 years ago).
• Low rainfall and low traffic volumes during most of its life and good road building materials contributed to its excellent performance.
• The recent very high increase in traffic and above normal rains during the past few years changed the situation drastically.
• Roads need continues maintenance, especially the surfacing layer. Roads are usually re-sealed every 8 – 10 years.
• This road was last resealed in 1994.
• Important background information (continue)
• The concern about the road safety along the Kuruman – Hotazel road led to an initiative by ASSMANG BRMO to contribute towards the repair of the road surface to improve the road safety conditions.
• This is an existing partnership established during 2009 and continued during 2010. During this period approximately R5million was spent through the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality.
• During 2011 ASSMANG BRMO and the NC Department of Roads & PW continued with emergency maintenance work amounting to R6mil.
• The planning of a more medium to long term solution was initiated and tender were invited for the in-situ milling and sealing of the road.
• In-situ milling and sealing (medium term: 1 – 3 years)
o To repair failed sections of the road.
o It will also include limited widening of the surfaced width at these locations.
o It is very cost effective and much cheaper than repairing of edge breaks per square meter.
o High production rates possible, repairing large sections in a short time.
o The construction joint will be in the middle of the wheel tracks.
ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS
• According to the contractor Basil Reed a total of 50 jobs will be created – members of the local residing community would be granted the opportunity to works general laborers
• A percentage of these would be women working as traffic controllers
• The rehabilitation entails mill and filling
• A Community Liaisons Officer (also known as the Public Liaisons Officer) would be appointed who will act as the link between the counselor, the contractor and the community members who will receive a fixed amount of R5 000 per month - This appointment would be by the Executive Mayor
• Basil Reed will only be allowed to bring in operators and specialized laborers
BENEFITS / ECONOMIC IMPACT
• Safer roads to road users meaning less accidents, less litigations
• Improves the quality of peoples driving
• Benefit the mining industry; transport of manganese
• Job creation and poverty alleviation
• In general changing the face of the province – bringing opportunities to the province in terms of tourism
• Establishing this infrastructure the province will attract investment