The R34, locally known as the Memel Road, is undergoing extensive development efforts to rectify its deteriorating state, a concern for commuters and Northern KwaZulu-Natal residents alike.
Newcastillian News, reported on Monday, 5 February 2024, how the MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, Maqueen Letsiha-Mathae, officiated the handover ceremony of the R34 (Section 3 to 5) in Odendaalsrus on Thursday, 1 February 2024.
The Department, in collaboration with stakeholders and the Kutloanong community, facilitated discussions regarding the transfer of road management to SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency Limited), aiming to expedite repairs and maintenance across the province.
The Department further elaborated how the project duration would be 11 months, and was worth R211 million at the length of 108 km and the subcontracting value is estimated at R62 million for 24 subcontractors.
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However, further ongoing efforts persist along the Memel Road, according to the South African National Road Agency (SANRAL).
“Since the roads were transferred to SANRAL, emergency contractors have been deployed to implement safety measures, prioritising the most dilapidated sections,” SANRAL clarified.
According to SANRAL, these contractors are already working in the area, from Vrede to Memel up to the KwaZulu-Natal/Free State border. “They started working on the worst potholes first and are currently making progress on the smaller potholes,” explained SANRAL.
The current work undertaken is emergency routine road maintenance (RRM) to improve the road’s driveability for road users’ safety. “Activities such as repairing potholes, improving the drainage of the road by cleaning drainage structures, grass cutting, the removal of edge build up, the repair of edge break, and addressing faded road markings and road signs are typical routine maintenance activities,” said SANRAL.
Throughout the maintenance period, at least one lane will remain open to traffic, employing traffic accommodation measures such as Stop/Go systems.
As this is a developing story, questions will be put forward to SANRAL to outline the future of this project. Questions like; Which contractors are being used and will a Tollgate be installed along the road to offset the costs of repairs and maintenance?
As the Memel Road undergoes vital improvements, stakeholders and commuters are encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns regarding these developments in the comment section below.
2 Responses
Some cadre has been eating the road maintenance money up to now and wont be punished. Now Sanral will be eating the money.
Some people have no shame. Disrupting the economy of Newcastle for years, so they can have personal benefit
Solidarity Inc.
968
Memel, Free State, 2970
[email protected]
0791584886
07/01/2025
Dear Sir/Mad
I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of concern regarding the appointment and hiring process of general workers for the ongoing SANRAL project in Phumelela Local Municipality, Memel, within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Free State Province. The main contractor for this project is Damian’s.
The issues began when Damian’s published a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for sub-contracts in Phumelela, advertising six packages for level 1CE and level 2, 3, and 4 contractors in August 2024. A briefing meeting was held in Memel on September 6, 2024, but was postponed to September 14, 2024, due to disruptions by unregistered forums.
After the closing date on September 25, 2024, Damian’s published an opening register showing all the companies that applied with their pricing. However, we noticed discrepancies between the tender document and the briefing meeting. The tender document stated that the maximum amount to be charged by a level 1 contractor is R500,000, with a benchmark of +/-10% before VAT. Nevertheless, Damian’s appointed companies that charged more than the specified amount.
We have been seeking transparency and clarity on the appointment process, particularly regarding the package numbers assigned to each appointed company. Unfortunately, the PLC member has refused to provide this information to the community, instead sharing it with the unregistered forum. This lack of transparency has raised suspicions about the integrity of the appointment process.
The packages that fall under Phumelela Local Municipality are SC41, SC43, SC45, SC46, and SC49. SC37 is a special package that has been re-advertised. Damian’s appointed five companies, but we are only aware of two companies, namely Shezmal (PTY) LTE and Js’pk.
We kindly request that SANRAL investigates this matter and provides clarity on the appointment process. We have written to the regional manager and sought information from the representatives who attended the briefing from SANRAL and Damian’s, but our inquiries have been met with silence.
We believe it is essential for SANRAL to be transparent and accountable in its procurement processes. We hope that you will take our concerns seriously and investigate this matter promptly.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Black Solidarity