SANRAL to spend R1.165 billion on road infrastructure projects in EC

The South African National Roads Agency Limited SOC (SANRAL) has set aside R500 million for a major road infrastructure development project for the Great Kei Local Municipality.

The project is expected to commence on the 1st of January 2025**. The project includes the upgrading of the national R63 between kilometre 21.7 and the N2 past Qumrha. The scope of the R63 upgrade entails the widening and rehabilitation of the existing two-lane single-carriageway, with geometric safety improvements and widening of the road. The Great Kei Local Municipality mayor, Ngenisile Tekele, has welcomed the news. “I commend SANRAL for heeding the call to upgrade the R63. This will bring major investment to this area,” he said.

The Great Kei Local Municipality is constituted by mostly poor households living below the poverty line. Most of its population is unemployed and many of the households are indigent, requiring subsidised basic municipal services. “It is very painful to see youth with a bleak future. SANRAL’s road infrastructure investment here will change this over the next few years, through the many jobs that will be created.”

“This is a term for development. The three spheres of government must work together in implementing the District Development Model (DDM). Through our engagements and work we do behind the scenes, we lobby for such development, so it is good to see that Great Kei will be a construction site this year,” Tekile added.

On the R63 project, we anticipate construction to commence early next year, upon conclusion of the mobilisation phase. We are currently developing the Contract Participation Goal (CPG) Plan which will outline the work packages that will be informed by a local skills analysis and will be workshopped with the PLC. SANRAL construction manager, Thabiso Ngozwana.

For the R63 Qumrha-N2 project, Mariswe (Pty) Ltd is the appointed consultant, and H&I Construction (Pty) Ltd is the main contractor. Ngozwana added that SANRAL had made provision to use local suppliers for material sourcing and encouraged those with borrow pits to stay prepared. The R63 project is anticipated to produce over 360 job opportunities for the local community and over 40 subcontracting opportunities.

Eight percent of the contract value will be allocated to labour with a minimum of 30 percent to be sub-contracted to Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs). SANRAL also introduced its SMME pre-tender training programme that will be provided to local SMMEs, which is intended to help capacitate them for SANRAL projects and beyond.

*Fictitious figure

**Fictitious date

Cakata, L. 2023. SANRAL to spend R1.165 billion on road infrastructure projects in EC, News24. Available at: https://www.news24.com/news24/community- newspaper/mthathaexpress/sanral-unveils-over-20230711 [Accessed 29 August 2023].

QUESTION 1: [24 MARKS]

1.1 Ascertain the type of project that is being undertaken in the case study and provide motivation. (2 marks)

1.2 Apart from the project type mentioned in Question 1.1, identify and explain three other basic types of projects. (3×2=6 marks)

1.3 Envision yourself as the project manager employed by Mariswe (Pty) Ltd (the appointed consultant of the SANRAL project).

Elaborate on any eight (8) fields or departments you will rely on for the success of the

SANRAL project. (8×2=16 marks)
QUESTION 2: [25 MARKS]

2.1 Through stakeholder analysis, project managers can proactively address challenges, anticipate stakeholder reactions and promote a positive project environment.

Required:

i) Identify any five (5) stakeholders of the SANRAL project in Great Kei Local

Municipality. (5 marks) ii) Create a power-interest grid locating each of the five (5) stakeholders within one of four different quadrants. (Note: Ensure to state the strategy for engaging with (or managing each of) the stakeholder quadrant) (10 marks)

2.2 Provide a rationale for placing each stakeholder in a particular quadrant. (5×2=10 marks)

QUESTION 3: [37 MARKS]

3.1 Table 1 below presents the durations of historic projects similar to the road expansion and rehabilitation project that will be undertaken.

Required: Use the data provided in Table 1: The Critical Path Method (CPM) below to estimate the length of each activity. (7 marks)

3.2 Create an Activity on None (AON) network diagram using the project duration estimates you calculated. (21 marks)

3.3 Based on the network diagram, identify the critical path and state how many months it will take to complete the project. (1+1=2 marks)

3.4 Based on your network diagram durations, draw tasks on the Gantt chart timeline, presented in months. (Note: Activity A should start in Jan 2025). (7 marks)

QUESTION 4: [14 MARKS]

4.1 You need to guide your new project administrator in creating a resource management plan to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

Describe any six (6) elements that you should include in the resource management plan. (6 marks)

4.2 As the project manager, you are responsible for keeping all stakeholders informed about the project’s progress. To accomplish this, you use a stakeholder register, a project management tool that compiles essential details about each stakeholder involved.

Required:

Prepare a fictitious stakeholder register with (2) stakeholders that you will use to demonstrate to the intern how this document is prepared. (Use the table below) (8 marks)

Answers to Abive Questions on Project Management

Answer 1: An analysis of the given case study indicates the type of project that is undertaken and it is mainly an infrastructure development project which includes the construction of a road. The project is all about upgrading the national R63 between 21.7 hm and the N2 past Qumrha.