Minister Mbalula marks Musina Ring Road Infrastructure Project completion
The National Development Plan orders all governmental departments to invest in a strong network of economic infrastructure designed to support the country’s medium and long-term objectives in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth by 2030. Achieving this vision requires targeted development of transport, as one of the sectors that make up the network industries.
Roads form an important part of South Africa’s public infrastructure. Roads connect people from different localities, towns and provinces and countries. “Roads form an integral part of our transportation systems in South Africa and are the main arteries to economic participation in the country as well as the continent,” said Minister Mbalula.
It is important that there is the maintenance of current roads so that they are in an acceptable state as well as the investment in new road infrastructure where the demand arises, such of these initiatives is the Musina Ring Road Infrastructure Project. This is one of the key reasons behind the formation of the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL). “The road which marks its completion today is a reminder of the core work that SANRAL undertakes of constructing and maintaining our national road infrastructure, South Africa’s biggest public asset,” said Minister Mbalula.
The six hundred-and forty-million-rand (R640 million) Musina Ring Road Project, is in one of the busiest parts of the Limpopo Province, which connect South Africa to the rest of the SADC Region. This new road, which controls traffic into and out of Musina, will facilitate the free flow of traffic to the Beit Bridge border with Zimbabwe. This road will facilitate better mobility and the safe movement of goods, services and people in and around Musina and will be instrumental in facilitating greater economic activity between South Africa and neighboring countries.
In line with our commitment to economic reconstruction and recovery, the project has provided opportunities for a local communities and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). Over the last three years, the project created 275 full-time jobs at a cost of more than R28 million. The Musina Ring Road Project used accredited training service providers to train SMMEs and local labourers who worked on this project. There was an allocation of R51 million which was spent on local subcontractors.
“We would not have been able to complete the Musina Ring Road project if it was not for a partnership between government, the private sector and local communities,” said Minister Mbalula. The Minister has emphasized that it is through such partnerships that a model to successfully grow the national economy is derived.
Source: Government of South Africa