Bakwena plans for the future

The Bakwena N1N4 Platinum Corridor Concessionaire has a new commercial manager and he has big plans to further the organisation’s long-term strategic goals.

Solomon Kganyago joins Bakwena following 11 years with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), where his last position was deputy regional manager.

In 2019, Bakwena will invest approximately R270 million on large capital projects which include rehabilitation and upgrading of road infrastructure on the N1N4 routes. Bakwena has various ongoing projects, some extending until 2020.

Bakwena’s improvement plans include three large road-construction projects:

• Awarded in March 2018, the R511 Interchange project entails the provision of west-facing ramps. The R55 million project was scheduled for completion by February 2019.
• The N4 Groot Marico project was awarded in mid-2017 and entails the reconstruction of the N4 in Groot Marico between Vaalkop and the Swartruggens boundary. It has been estimated that it will cost R250 million and the anticipated completion date is June 2019.
• The addition of 32 km of a second carriageway on the N4 between the M17 and R512 (Brits Interchange) will cost R582 million and has a 36-month construction period that is scheduled for completion in June 2021.

The resurfacing of the N4 westbound carriageway between the R512 and Buffelspoort interchange was completed in December 2018, at a cost of R101 million. Also completed in the same time frame was the special maintenance of the N1N4.

“With my Sanral experience, I understand the importance and magnitude of these projects and the impact thereof on our diverse stakeholders. I am very fortunate to be working with a team of highly motivated and skilled individuals, who all wish to see Bakwena continue to deliver road infrastructure that adds real value and economic benefit to South Africa,” Kganyago comments.