Nearly 400 SMMEs received certificates for completing a training programme which formed part of the R75 Port Elizabeth to Despatch interchange road rehabilitation project, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) has announced.
The two-week training course focussed on tendering, preparing construction documentation and business skills training.
The 384 SMMEs whose CIDB levels are between 1CE and 4CE received their certificates at a hand-over ceremony held at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton recently. Sixty percent of them are from 10 wards adjoining the R75. The remaining 40% are from the greater Nelson Mandela Bay’s SMME Targeted Enterprises (TE’s).
“Through Proper Consulting, a prequalification tender process was held to determine who should be selected for the training programme. The trainees were then chosen from the pool of those who were successfully prequalified,” said Sean Strydom, SANRAL Southern Region Project Manager said.
Of the SMMEs who graduated, 23 have already started working on the rehabilitation project, erecting guardrails, picking up litter, building subsoil drains, erecting anti-climb fencing, building open line concrete drains, erecting palisade fencing and building prefab culverts, among other things.
Siphokazi Sikelwa of Fathuse Trading Pty Ltd started working on the six-month litter picking project in January 2018. “The training I received is important especially because it is an accredited training course. I believe this will help me with compliance. I have other qualifications but these are not accredited,” Sikelwa said.
Bongile Dom of Bay Ngwane Trading (Pty) Ltd, who does not have a tender to work on the R75 project, also completed the two-week training course. “This certificate means a lot to me since I only have a matric. I was appointed as a sub-contractor on other construction projects for another company before and did kerbing and pre-mix. This is the first time I received training on a project and I believe the certificate will open doors for my business,” Dom said.
Simphiwe Jama from Kangelani General Trading started working on the litter picking project in January 2018 and employs 10 staff members. “I only have a matric and now that I have the national certificate I am more motivated to study further. Through this training I know how to calculate to price tender documents and have learned the importance of health and safety, these are important skills to have when you have your own business,” Jama said.
“The training was necessary to assist the SMMEs with the skills needed to complete tendering and construction documents. The SMMEs are now able to compile competitive tenders for SANRAL projects,” Strydom said.
SANRAL Southern Region (SR) awarded road maintenance contracts to 147 black-owned SMMEs during 2015/16. SANRAL (SR) was responsible for the management of 18 routine road maintenance (RRM) contracts for the maintenance of 4 559km of road, constituting 23% of the SANRAL network and RRM spending for 2015/16 amounted to approximately R400 million.
More work on the R75 project will be rolled out during May 2018 and May 2019.
The implementation of road safety measures and rehabilitation of the National Route R75 Section 1, constitutes 13 kilometres and will create work for a minimum of 37 local SMMEs between 1CE PE and 6 CE PE CIDB grading within the Nelson Mandela Bay.
This two-year project is due to be completed in May 2019.