The Department of Transport and Public Works has undertaken a multi-million rand upgrade of the Southern Cape roads system. The Gansbaai-Bredasdorp Project will create essential infrastructure links in the region.
“The project will ultimately connect three communities in the Southern Cape namely Gansbaai, Elim and Bredarsdorp, thereby boosting the local economy, creating a new tourist corridor and addressing the roads infrastructure needs of the high-potential region,” said Robin Carlisle, Minister of Transport and Public Works.
At a sod-turning event in Elim on 11 April 2013, the current contract in the project was launched (Uilenkraal to Elim phase). The current contract involves the upgrading of the existing gravel road to a full, all-weather one from Uilenskraal to just east of Elim. Some sections of the road have already been constructed. The road length for reconstruction under the current contract is approximately 29 km.
The contract is valued at R277 million and expected to cover a period of 30 months, with work having begun in January 2013, and practical completion expected in the latter half of 2015. (Contractor is Haw and Inglis and the Consulting Engineer is HHO Africa Infrastructure Engineers).
Work will also include:
“Of the contract amount, R16 874 282 is reserved for local labour, at a rate of R150 per day, per person. The work force will be drawn from the local area in transparent processes involving the community, to ensure that the allocation of work is fair. Through a R1 170 500 allocation for labour training, learnerships and apprenticeships will be created to benefit, in the long-term, selected members of the local community,” added Minister Carlisle.
Siphesihle Dube
Media Liaison Officer
Ministry of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 8954
Cell: 084 233 3811
E-mail: Siphesihle.Dube@westerncape.gov.za