First published in the Bosveld Review http://reviewonline.co.za/150118/ral-and-zz2-partner-to-upgrade-lims-roads/

POLOKWANE – In a move to upgrade and maintain some of the provincial and secondary roads, the Road Agency Limpopo (RAL) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with ZZ2 on Thursday.

The agreement and partnership between the two parties will see more than R12 million estimated cost of maintaining and upgrading the identified roads being shared between RAL and ZZ2.

The affected roads include, the Houtsbosdorp, Malaladrift, Smitsrust and Grootbosch, among others.

“This partnership could not have come at the right time when the province is strengthening its efforts to address the road infrastructure backlog,” said RAL chief executive, Maselaganye Matji.

Out of more than 20 000km of provincial roads, less than 8 00 km is tarred and the rest is either gravel or dirt roads.

One of ZZ2’s directors, Phile Van Zyl expressed gratitude to RAL for this initiative.

“This is a commercially effective partnership which will assist greatly in enhancing our business. We use these roads to transport our raw material and products. Tarring and maintaining them will shorten the transporting and delivery time spent on the road,” he said.

The signed agreement also allows other interested and strategic private sector partners such as affected farmers to be part of the MOA and contribute to improving the overall road infrastructure in the areas where farmers operate their business.

So far since adopting the PPP strategy, RAL has managed to raise more R250 million to upgrade roads in Limpopo.

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