SANRAL’s N1 upgrade in FS to improve road network, create jobs

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10-11-2025
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Bloemfontein Courant
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The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited’s (SANRAL) is to inject close to R4billion towards the upgrade of the N1 national road from Scottland to Winburg and Zandkraal to Scottland in the Free State.

According to SANRAL the project will provide job opportunities for SMMEs and the local community. SANRAL Free State’s Provincial Head, Marlize Nel-Verwey, said the project that started earlier this year should be completed in July 2028. “Now that we are in the process of opening a new provincial office here in Bloemfontein for the Free State Province, this will allow us to better enhance our stakeholder engagement endeavours with the province.

We have also increased the numbers of roads that have been transferred to us from the province in recent months. The opening of our new office, therefore, will make it easier for us to get closer to our road network in the Free State.” He added that over 1200 kilometres of the province’s roads were handed over to be incorporated and fall under SANRAL’s management by the Free State Provincial Government.

SANRAL’s project manager (FS), Sumith Kasserchun, said there will be an addition of two lanes in the northerly direction to create a four-lane dual carriageway. A few river bridges and major culverts will be lengthened to accommodate the upgrade. “SMMEs will play an active role in the project and subcontractor works packages like the erection and repair of fencing at borrow pits, routine maintenance for collection of litter and debris, cleaning of culverts and concrete drains, and grading of temporary gravel deviations, to mention a few are in the procurement process.”

Tshegare Moletsane, SANRAL’s Transformation Officer emphasised that there will be continues efforts to ensure that information is shared with local communities to uphold transparency on subcontracting and job opportunities.

“Although our core focus on this project is on contractors from Grade One to Four, as guided by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), SANRAL also encourages manufactures and material suppliers (such cement and paint to participate, and also benefit from the 30% Contractor Participation Goals (CPG) allocation,” he concluded.