The communities of Springfontein and Trompsburg stand to receive some spin-offs from road infrastructure projects that are set to commence in earnest.
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) announced that community development initiatives were earmarked for these two towns in the Xhariep District Municipality.
Community initiatives are part of the road agency’s investment of more than R90 million on two road infrastructure maintenance projects on the N1 between the towns.
“Each package has a community development budget of R3 million that will go towards projects to be identified by the respective communities,” said James Takalo, Sanral’s transformation officer in the region.
He spoke on the sidelines of a consultation with local businesses and communities in February.
Additional benefits involve the much-needed employment of local people to work for the 12-month period of the project. Work will entail the upgrading of existing unsurfaced road, and surfacing from Springfontein to Trompsburg.
“Our aim is to ensure that the previously marginalised sectors of our economy, including women, young people, people with disabilities and black contractors, play a meaningful role and succeed in a construction industry that has largely been non-transformative.
“We will continue to do this guided by our transformation policy and our Horizon 2030 strategy,” said Takalo.
Sanral announced that the budget was R45 011 527 for the first section of road, and R45 100 000 for the other section, between the two Free State towns.
