Civil Engineering September 2021 | Vol 29 No 8

A D V E R T O R I A L BAKWENA’S PPP OFFERS TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS IN ROAD SERVICE DELIVERY Recognising their limits in the execution of certain proj- ects, governments all over the world often rely on Pub- lic-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to meet the demands of inf rastructure improvements. However, while the con- cept of leveraging PPPs to execute massive projects and fast-track service delivery has proven effective in both developing and developed markets, there are still some that remain unconvinced about their benef its. PPPs offer a myriad of benef its. These extend to the state, its citizens, the private sector and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). PPPs bring together the expertise and resources of two sectors to provide ser- vices or inf rastructure at a better value for money. For the public sector, one of the greatest advantages of a PPP is the access it provides to modern technology, man- agement and skills f rom the private sector. For the pri- vate sector, it is an opportunity for increased innovation. The National Development Plan (NDP) recognises the tolling system and its immense potential to contribute to the economic and social development of the country be- cause of the provision of new and well-maintained roads. Under the NDP, users pay the costs in the long term, with f inancial concessions for poor households. The state must also put in place appropriate regulatory and gover- nance f rameworks so that the inf rastructure is operated eff iciently and effectively. The major benef its of South Af rica’s national road network include economic growth, tourism, social development and economic opportunities across the country, and not just in main economic hubs. Through the concession between the Bakwena Plati- num Corridor Concessionaire (Pty) Ltd (Bakwena) and The South Af rican National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SAN- RAL), the PPP brings in private sector competencies, eff iciencies and capital used to improve national roads without burdening the government with providing fund- ing for the entire project. PPPs offer an immediate re- turn on investment for road-users, investors and the public sector. These wins are leveraged against the f i- nancial risk and the management needed to deliver vi- tally-needed roads in the shortest period possible. This win-win situation has proven effective and has been in effect between Bakwena and SANRAL for over 20 years. These technical milestones and upgrades enhance the safety of road users, and eliminate congestion through in- creased eff iciency, productivity and mitigate traff ic delays. They also minimise the wear and tear of vehicles, the time of travel, as well as fuel costs for both corporate and private motorists, which is great for households and consumers. Public-private partnerships can help in providing more eff icient procurement, greater consumer satisfaction due to the life cycle maintenance of roads, and in deliver- ing new sources of investment. PPPs remain an integral resource in the development of the country’s economy and inf rastructure such as roads, which play an integral role in facilitating the movement of goods and services across South Af rica and its southern Af rican counter- parts. Road maintenance is supported by active road management which involves the construction and regu- lar inspection of roads, bridges and slopes. It also involves the management and servicing of road users, a task too costly and burdensome for the state to bear alone. Bakwena manages 90 kilometres of the N1 f rom Preto- ria northwards to Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) and a 295-ki- lometre section of the N4 f rom Pretoria westwards through Rustenburg and Zeerust to the Botswana border on behalf of SANRAL. Bakwena has built, op- erated and sustainably maintained the N1N4 routes over the last 20 years by raising equity and loans. www.bakwena.co. za Bakwena actively manages the N1N4 to provide road users with world-class inf rastructure. Some of the projects the concessionaire has delivered include the construction of 91km of new road f rom the Kameeldrift interchange to Brits and the Rustenburg bypass. In 2019, Bakwena in- vested R270 million on rehabilitation works on the N1N4 route and the upgrading of the R511 interchange, while an additional carriageway f rom the M17 towards the R512 was recently completed at a cost of R582 million. A D V E R T O R I A L K ENA’S PPP OFF A GIBLE SOLUTIONS IN ROAD I DELIVERY Recognising their limits in the execution of certain proj- ects, governments all over the world often rely on Pub- lic-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to meet the demands of inf rastructure improvements. However, while the con- cept of leveraging PPPs to execute massive projects and fast-track service delivery has proven effective in both developing and developed markets, there are still some that remain unconvinced about their benef its. PPPs offer a myriad of benef its. These extend to the state, its citizens, the private sector and the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). PPPs bring together the expertise and resources of two sectors to provide ser- vices or inf rastructure at a better value for money. For the public sector, one of the greatest advantages of a PPP is the access it provides to modern technology, man- agement and skills f rom the private sector. For the pri- vate sector, it is an opportunity for increased innovation. The National Development Plan (NDP) recognises the tolling system and its immense potential to contribute to the economic and social development of the country be- cause of the provision of new and well-maintained roads. Under the NDP, users pay the costs in the long term, with f inancial concessions for poor households. The state must also put in place appropriate regulatory and gover- nance f rameworks so that the inf rastructure is operated eff iciently and effectively. The major benef its of South Af rica’s national road network include economic growth, tourism, social development and economic opportunities across the country, and not just in main economic hubs. Through the concession between the Bakwena Plati- num Corridor Concessionaire (Pty) Ltd (Bakwena) and The South Af rican National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SAN- RAL), the PPP brings in private sector competencies, eff iciencies and capital used to improve national roads without burdening the government with providing fund- ing for the entire project. PPPs offer an immediate re- turn on investment for road-users, investors and the public sector. These wins are leveraged against the f i- nancial risk and the management needed to deliver vi- tally-needed roads in the shortest period possible. This win-win situation has proven effective and has been in effect between Bakwena and SANRAL for over 20 years. These technical milestones and upgrades enhance the safety of road users, and eliminate congestion through in- creased eff iciency, productivity and mitigate traff ic delays. They also minimise the wear and tear of vehicles, the time of travel, as well as fuel costs for both corporate and private motorists, which is great for households and consumers. Public-private partnerships can help in providing more eff icient procurement, greater consumer satisfaction due to the life cycle maintenance of roads, and in deliver- ing new sources of investment. PPPs remain an integral resource in the development of the country’s economy and inf rastructure such as roads, which play an integral role in facilitating the movement of goods and services across South Af rica and its southern Af rican counter- parts. Road maintenance is supported by active road management which involves the construction and regu- lar inspection of roads, bridges and slopes. It also involves the management and servicing of road users, a task too costly and burdensome for the state to bear alone. Bakwena manages 90 kilometres of the N1 f rom Preto- ria northwards to Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) and a 295-ki- lometre section of the N4 f rom Pretoria westwards through Rustenburg and Zeerust to the Botswana border on behalf of SANRAL. Bakwena has built, op- erated and sustainably maintained the N1N4 routes over the last 20 years by raising equity and loans. .bak ena.co. za Bakwena actively manages the N1N4 to provide road users with world-class inf rastructure. Some of the projects the concessionaire has delivered include the construction of 91km of new road f rom the Kameeldrift interchange to Brits and the Rustenburg bypass. In 2019, Bakwena in- vested R270 million on rehabilitation works on the N1N4 route and the upgrading of the R511 interchange, while an additional carriageway f rom the M17 towards the R512 was recently completed at a cost of R582 million.