Sanral boosts development of emerging contractors
A group of 11 SMMEs from Lusikisiki, enrolled in the South African National Roads Agency's (Sanral) community and training development programme for the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR), recently visited Mamlambo Construction to learn about the administrative and business functions of the engineering and road construction industry.
The Sanral programmes are part of the community access road upgrading project for the N2 Wild Coast Highway in Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo District Municipalities.
The integrated community development programme has 30 business owners of construction SMMEs and new startups (CIDB levels 1 – 3) presently enrolled on SAQA and SETA-accredited training programmes (NQF levels 3 -5) at three SANRAL learning centres in Mbizana, Lusikisiki and Port St. Johns.
Local skilled and semi-skilled labour force
The programme will also train an additional 330 individuals with civil engineering skills to help create a local skilled and semi-skilled labour force for the N2WCTR.
As part of their practical training, the business owners will be responsible for the upgrade and construction of community access roads. Upon completion of their theoretical training this year, each SMME will have an opportunity to tender for construction work on the community access roads. Community access road upgrades are strategic projects linked to the N2WCTR with the aim to improve road safety.
Mamlambo Construction is a Sanral service provider and currently working on the Lusikisiki Community Development (CD) project. The project started in July 2016 and is expected to be completed by July next year.
Training
The training at Mamlambo offices included: how to form a bank account for a joint venture (JV); CIDB requirements; the importance of registering for VAT; paying tax, UIF and workman’s compensation; the importance of using a bookkeeper or accountant; getting the right insurance; and paying wages to name a few. The SMME’s were also taken on short tours of asphalt, bitumen binders and concrete manufacturing plants.
In Lusikisiki, Mamlambo is providing the 11 SMME owners with NQF Level 4 training and their 11 supervisors with NQF Level 2 training on road construction.
Said Craig Shearar, Mamlambo CEO: "We want the SMMEs to understand there is more to running a business than to just building a road. We want them to see how a business fits together. It is important to expose the SMMEs to as much as possible in our industry for them to know where the products come from.”
