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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2017
40
Appointed for masterplan review
Over the past two years, the Bakwena
Platinum Corridor Concessionaire
(Bakwena), which operates the highway
on behalf of the South African National
Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), has been
upgrading specific toll plazas along the
route to ensure improved flow of the many
vehicles, including the trucks, using the
corridor every day.
The focus has been on widening
four mainline plazas, namely Pumulani,
Doornpoort, Brits and Marikana, as well as
two ramp plazas, Stormvoël and Zambesi,
by adding extra lanes on the existing
infrastructure to improve traffic throughput
at the various plazas.
Work undertaken at the Zambesi plaza
also forms part of a SANRAL/Bakwena
pilot project to drive the uptake of its
‘e-Tag’ concept by providing users with
a convenient and faster alternative for
passing through these pay-points
e-Tag holders
Registered e-Tag holders can now fast-
track their drive time by using an exclusive
e-tag lane that exits directly from the high-
way without having to queue at the con-
ventional plazas.
“This is a pilot project,” says Phaks
Ngqumshe, a director of JG Afrika, “and
depending on its success, the concept may
be rolled out elsewhere on the corridor and
on other national roads.”
Ngqumshe has project managed the
plaza upgrade programme since JG Afrika
was awarded the design and construction
supervision contract in 2015.
“This was a unique project in that
the dedicated e-Tag lanes, with separate
dedicated e-tag lanes off the freeway are
a completely new concept in the country.
One of the complexities in the design and
drawing stages is that we did not have
similar projects that we could reference, in
terms of standards, with the design teams
having to largely innovate from scratch,”
says Ngqumshe. “
Sharp learning curve
A meeting of minds between representatives
of JG Afrika, SANRAL and Bakwena resulted
in a solution that was not only feasible and
practical, but also safe for road users.
This sharp learning curve challenged the
experienced professional team and provided
a sound platform to mentor the some of
the young engineers and new engineering
graduates making up the engineering team.
The project
Working to extremely tight deadlines,
implementation started at Zambesi toll
The SSKIA-SEZ project is part of an initiative
that is the brainchild of the Business and
Economic Advisory Council of Botswana
(BEAC), which recommended the develop-
ment of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
Policy for Botswana.
The SEZs are geographically delineated
economic areas run by their own SEZ
Authority, responsible for providing an
investor-friendly business environment
with a view to attracting both domestic
and foreign investors.
Eight strategic areas
across the country
have been identified
for promoting the
development of a
variety of world-class
industries that will lead
to the diversification of
the country’s economy
IN THE FAST LANE
The Bakwena N1N4 freeway is an important arterial connecting the
country’s economic hub, Gauteng, with the Limpopo Province on
the N1 and the platinum-rich North West province on the N4, while
ensuring the efficient movement of goods and people between South
Africa and neighbouring Botswana.
Phaks Ngqumshe, a director of JG Afrika.
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Royal HaskoningDHV in a Joint Venture with HaskoningDHV Botswana has
been awarded the master plan review of the Sir Seretse Khama International
Airport Special Economic Zone (SSKIA-SEZ) located in Gaborone, Botswana,
South West of the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport.
through public sector, private sector and
public-private partnerships.
Manfred Uken, director strategic
business development for transport and
planning in Africa at Royal HaskoningDHV
states, “The SSKIA-SEZ is an exciting
six-month project that is planned to be
completed by the end of August 2017 suits
our goal to help develop business and job
opportunities on our continent.
It also complements the work we are
already carrying out at the Aerotropolis for
King Shaka International Airport (in Durban,
RSA).The SSKIA-SEZ will offer business in
Botswana the opportunity to develop in a
modern, focused and efficient environment”.
Royal HaskoningDHV will provide the Urban
Design Master Plan; the Landscape Design
Master Plan; a Strategic Environmental
Assessment; a Hydrogeological and
Geotechnical Survey; a Traffic Engineering
Study and a Topographical Survey.
The SSKIA-SEZ will be a mixed-use
economic zone that will house several
‘high tech’ organisations such as the Civil
Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) and
the Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH), which
is a science and technology park to aid in
diversifying the economy and help transform
Botswana into a knowledge economy,
thereby promoting research, development,
education and innovation. In addition, the
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre
(BITC), an integrated Investment and
Trade Promotion Authority (ITPA) with an
encompassing mandate of investment
promotion and attraction, export promotion
and development, including management of
the National Brand will also be incorporated
within the mixed-use economic zone. This is
topped off with the addition of the Diamond
Hub which was established to coordinate
economic activity in the Diamond Sector,
administering beneficiation activities
in rough and polished diamond trading,
cutting and polishing industry, jewelry
manufacturing, and secondary trading of
rough and polished diamonds.