DURBAN - THE Zulu Royal family has welcomed the SA National Roads Agency’s (Sanral) upgrading of nine gravel roads to surfaced roads in Isandlwana at a cost of R180 million.
According to Sanral, their extension of the national road network to rural roads followed a request from late King Goodwill Zwelithini in 2019, when a formal agreement was reached that, among others, the gravel road leading to the Isandlwana Battlefield would be upgraded.
Since then, the Mangwebuthanani Traditional Council, under the leadership of Inkosi Mbangomuni Mazibuko, had hosted various engagements with Sanral and had provided guidance as the groundwork for the project unfolded, Sanral said.
The upgrading announcement was made during Sanral’s stakeholder engagement session in Nquthu Local Municipality on Saturday.
Stakeholders at the event included Inkosi Mazibuko, the Nquthu Local Municipality mayor; councillor Zama Shabalala; and several small, medium and micro-enterprises from the local business community.
Sanral said the design phase of the project was 80% complete and construction was expected to begin next year. In line with their transformation policy and the government’s preferential procurement regulation, at least R54m of the R180m project will be subcontracted to targeted enterprises in a bid to prioritise economic development opportunities for black-owned entities.
Of this R54m, at least R2.7m will be ring-fenced for women-owned businesses and youth-owned businesses.
Royal spokesperson Prince Thulani Zulu said Sanral had promised the late king that they would fix the roads while the king was still alive.
Zulu said a few meetings were held between the king and Sanral.
“We’re very happy if Sanral will fulfil that need. The Isandlwana area is a tourist attraction which wasn’t focused on a lot but if Sanral is answering the king’s call, that means they are helping the nation,” Zulu said.
Inkosi Mazibuko said: “The construction of the Isandlwana project must never be interrupted in any way. People are called here by Sanral to be informed on how they can be involved in this project and how they can benefit economically. I do not want to see those opposing progress sending the wrong message or attempting to derail progress.”
Deputy Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said Isandlwana was a heritage site that should be visited by local and international tourists and the project would create opportunities for this.
Chikunga said the project would create 150 job opportunities, at a cost of R14m, for persons to be directly employed on site, adding that jobs for women and the youth would be prioritised, with more than R8m being earmarked for wages for women and youth.
This would also include people living with disabilities.
Sanral eastern region manager Dumisani Nkabinde said they recognised the importance of developing rural roads that will give remote communities access to central business districts and ultimately link them to economic opportunities via the national road network.
Daily News