Produced by SANRAL N2 WILD COAST ISSUE 3 DECEMBER Province of the EASTERN CAPE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Vul indlela

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1 N2 WILD COAST ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2017 Produced by SANRAL U P DA T E Vul indlela Province of the EASTERN CAPE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

2 PROJECT TEAM Mbulelo Simon Peterson: Regional Manager Craig McLachlan: Lead Project Manager Gcobani Socenya: Project Manager Fez Duze: Project Manager John Gibberd: Project Manager and stakeholder management Dr Mongezi Noah: Community Development Specialist Rob Damhuis: Materials specialist and project manager PAGE 2

3 N2WC HAUL ROADS FAST FACTS ABOUT THE MTENTU BRIDGE: The Mtentu bridge will be one of the longest main-span balanced-cantilever bridges in the world (260m main span). It will reach heights of approximately 220m and it will take over the mantle of highest bridge in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere from the Bloukrans Bridge (217m deck height). Construction of the 1.1km-long bridge in a remote location is a major undertaking that requires specialised engineering skills and building techniques ALMOST COMPLETE NEXT UP, THE BRIDGES FAST FACTS ABOUT THE MSIKABA BRIDGE: The Msikaba bridge will be 580m long. It will cross the spectacular and pristine Msikaba river gorge and will be the longest span cable-stayed suspension bridge in South Africa and the secondlongest in Africa, after the 680m span Maputo-Catembe bridge currently under construction. This single-span bridge will be anchored back into rock on either side of the gorge. The tender for the construction of the Msikaba bridge is out and applications will close on 9 March The four haul roads for the N2WCR project are all close to completion. The 8m-wide construction haul roads, which vary in length from 2.3km to 5.4km, will serve the essential function of facilitating the movement of equipment and materials to the Msikaba and Mtentu Bridge sites. These haul roads are essential support structures for the Mtentu and Msikaba Bridge projects. The construction of bridges in the remote Wild Coast locations is a major undertaking that requires specialised engineering skills and building techniques. The haul roads will help to ensure that all of the necessary people, building materials, equipment and machinery are able to be transported to and from the construction sites. The tender for the construction of the Mtentu Bridge was awarded to Aveng Strabag Joint Venture (JV) at the end of August 2017 and construction is set to begin in early The Mtentu Bridge, which will cross the Mtentu River just outside of Xolobeni, will be one of the longest main-span balanced-cantilever bridges in the world and will reach heights of approximately 220m, which will make it the highest bridge in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. PAGE 3

4 COMMUNITIES SUPPORT grave relocations SANRAL has begun the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) grave relocation process along the Msikaba and Mtentu Bridge road reserves. The need for the relocation of graves is due to the construction activities related to the haul roads for the Msikaba and Mtentu Bridge projects. In Msikaba North, 109 graves out of approximately 140 have been relocated. However, due to local tradition, the remaining graves can only be relocated after house relocations have been completed. There are no grave relocations on the Msikaba South road reserve. The community understands the need for the relocations. They have accepted and support the methodology for the grave relocations, which includes following all necessary cultural rituals, said Gcobani Socenywa, Project Manager. Between Mtentu North and South and Msikaba North and South, it is expected that 115 out of approximately 140 graves will be relocated by February PAGE 4

5 N2WCR project getting ready to relocate a few residents A housing relocation process, which is ongoing, is expected to be completed early next year (2018) on the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) project. Twenty houses will be handed over to residents currently residing in the Mtentu and Msikaka bridge road reserves. In Mtentu North, six residents will receive houses, while in Mtentu South eight houses will be handed over. In addition, six houses will be handed over to residents in Msikaba North. No relocations will take place in Msikaba South. New houses are usually built in close proximity to the old house locations. A variety of sizes and layouts are being constructed for residents affected by the road development. These range from rondavels to conventional shapes and 20m 2 single-room units to 100m 2 four-bedroom houses. Each newly constructed house replicates the floorplan of the original house it replaces and is built according to National Home Builders Registration Council specifications. In some instances, the owners have requested that the floor area of separate or individual structures on their old property be combined into one single structure on the new site. Once electricity is connected, the houses will be handed over to residents. This is expected to take place between December 2017 and in DID YOU KNOW? SANRAL worked with traditional chiefs in the Wild Coast to manage relocations sensitively: SANRAL approached the chiefs as cultural custodians to advise on grave relocations The chiefs advised that the following assistance should be provided to the families of the graves affected: - A goat to sacrifice to appease ancestors for the bone relocation - A cow to sacrifice for a ceremony - Grocery money for the ceremony In addition, SANRAL included: - A travel allowance for those who conduct and lead the reburial custom, as well as for family members to attend the ceremony - Undertaker services to exhume safely and rebury all remains - Archaeological services to ensure the protection of the graves - Protection for the more than 60-year-old graves that are now under the South African Heritage Act - Archaeological services ensuring that the bones are positioned exactly the same way as in the original burial - Archaeological services to guide the funeral parlours as how to rebury the bones PAGE 5

6 SANRAL to open office in Flagstaff Situated in the heart of the OR Tambo District Municipality and recognised as the seat of the Ingquza Hill Local Municipality, Flagstaff has been selected as the perfect location for the construction of SANRAL s Wild Coast office. Its central position along the 112km greenfields section of the N2WC route makes it the ideal place to set up a much-needed office that will cater to the needs of local contractors, SMMEs and communities. The Flagstaff office is set to serve several functions. To begin with, the office will provide a permanent local presence in the project area and will offer all stakeholders a direct point of contact with SANRAL. The Flagstaff office will have a dedicated tender office, where 2nd tier tenders (tenders for subcontracts) for SMMEs can be collected and submitted and tender briefings can be held. At present, all tender documents for Eastern Cape projects have to be collected and submitted to SANRAL s Port Elizabeth office. This means that the new office will help to ensure that local SMMEs wishing to tender on the various projects related to the N2WC road s construction will no longer have to travel long distances to participate in tender processes. In addition to the tender office, the Flagstaff office will also provide temporary work space and meeting facilities for project managers attending project meetings and site visits in the area. A site for the new office has been identified and construction should begin early in The office, which will run during to normal business hours, is expected to be fully operational by the 2nd Quarter of PAGE 6

7 Project Liaison Committees bring transparency and inclusivity to N2WCR construction In an effort to ensure communication, transparency and inclusivity, all SANRAL projects will have a project liaison committee (PLC), which provides a platform for communications and discussions related to works execution, subcontracting, employment facilitation and the project in general. On the N2WCR project, PLCs have already been established in Mbizana and Ingquza Hill municipal areas to service the haul roads and the Mtentu bridge projects. This committee is made up of SANRAL, the contractor/s, the consultant, local government representatives, traditional leadership representatives, community representatives and other critical local stakeholders. This PLC plays an important role in liaising with communities in the affected areas, other stakeholders and the project teams. When it comes to local employment and SMME involvement on the project, the PLC takes a leading role in ensuring transparency around decisions on the allocation of unskilled labour opportunities, approval of local labour lists and the local SMME database. The PLC also offers an important platform for the mediation and resolution of community issues related to the project. Additional N2WCR PLCs are expected to be appointed shortly for the Lingeni to Msikaba road section and the Msikaba to Mtentu road section, and a further five PLCs corresponding to a further five sections of road will be selected once consultants are appointed. Community members who wish to get in touch with the PLCs can do so through their ward committees or traditional councils which are represented on the PLC or through the applicable project liaison officers. PAGE 7

8 Principles for project liaison, subcontracting and labour sourcing To ensure community awareness and buy-in, SANRAL has developed 14 principles, which will be applied to facilitate better project-level liaison with local communities and structures. They also serve to ensure communication and transparency in the execution of works and to ensure inclusivity in the allocation of projects to benefit black business and local communities. Here they are: 1. Establish Project liaison committees (PLCs) in each project to create a platform for project liaison, works execution, subcontracting and employment facilitation. 2. SANRAL to chair PLCs and provide secretarial support. Representation to comprise: SANRAL, contractor, consultant, business representatives, traditional representatives, provincial and municipal government representatives, community representatives and any other critical local stakeholder that may be deemed necessary by the PLC. 3. Community liaison officer (CLO) or public liaison officer (PLO) selection to be done under the auspices of the PLC. 4. Definition of a target area (sometimes referred to as a local area or traffic area) to be done under the auspices of the PLC. 5. Setup of a database of contractors and suppliers (and consultants where relevant) to be done under the auspices of the PLC. The final database to be signed off by the PLC. 6. Setup of database of local labour for the targeted area to be done under the auspices of the PLC. The final list to be signed off by the PLC. An agreed system of labour selection from the database to be agreed at the PLC. 7. Handover of signed-off databases for subcontracting and labour to contractor for open tender process and recruitment, respectively, done by the PLC. 8. Tender to be conducted by contractor using government principles (eg the public opening of received bids, announcement of bidders and prices). Tabling of winning bidders in the PLC. 9. Appeals on the tender process to be escalated to SANRAL for an independent review. 10. Capability assessments of contractors and suppliers to be done under auspices of PLC prior to tender stage, to identify any deficiencies in skills and experience. For labour, skills assessments to be done at recruitment stage. 11. Contractor development support and training to be coordinated and conducted ahead under the auspices of the PLC prior to project commencement. 12. Identification of works areas that are deliverable by local service providers and areas where capabilities are not available locally. All works areas where capabilities are not available locally shall be imported and locals will be given an opportunity to learn. 13. Formal contracting arrangements to be ensured for all projects. 14. Communication to be streamlined through the PLC and used to manage expectations of local business and communities. THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY SOC LTD SOUTHERN REGION 20 Shoreward Drive, Bay West, Port Elizabeth, 6025 P.O. Box 24210, Bay West, Port Elizabeth, 6034 SANRAL FRAUD @sanral_za SANRAL SANRAL Corporate