The Eastern Cape Regional AGM was held on Tuesday, 20 October 2015, at the German Club,
Lorraine, Port Elizabeth.
Marlize Nel-Verwey of SANRAL was re-elected chairperson and Stephan Schutte as Vice-chair.
The existing regional committee members were also re-elected, with the addition of four new members viz. Tom Kelly of SANRAL, Yonela Mdubeki of Africoast Engineers, Riaan Venter of Armcolite and Fezekile Duze of SANRAL.
The new secretary, who works part-time for SANRAL, is Ms. Nandipha Frans.
Following the AGM, a presentation was given by Craig McLachlan of SANRAL on the
“Progress of the N2 Wild Coast Road Project”:
This project involves a 560 km length of road from the Gonubie Interchange near East London, to Isipingo, south of Durban, 96 km of which will be on a new “greenfields” alignment, between Mzimvubu River, near Port St Johns and Mtamvuna River, near Mzamba, and includes:
# Two mega-bridge structures over the Msikaba and Mtentu Rivers;
# Seven additional major river bridges and three interchange bridges;
# 96 km of new class 1 road and 17 km of “brownfield” class 1 road;
# New interchanges, pedestrian walkways and bridges, as well as agricultural underpasses (cattle
creeps) and overpasses;
# Local collector/access roads, underpasses and overpasses;
The remainder comprises the upgrading of the existing roads and construction of bypasses at Mthatha, Idutya and Butterworth.
Once complete, the route will be approx. 85 km shorter than the current route and up to 3 hours faster, particularly for heavy freight vehicles.
Designs of the Msikaba and Mtentu River Bridges are complete and SANRAL is in a position to commence construction of these two mega bridges, subject to, inter alia, finalisation of the land acquisition of the two bridge sites.
Detailed design of the remaining roadworks, seven major river bridges and three interchange bridges, will commence in early 2016.
John Sponneck
Eastern Cape Regional Coordinator
South African Road federation