Civil Engineering November 2022 | Vol 30 No 10

T he Sani Pass (P318) serves as a crit- ical trade artery connecting South Africa and Lesotho and is a crucial revenue-generating tourist attraction for the region. It is the only road that crosses the summit of the Drakensberg Mountain range and transects the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site near Himeville. Built in the 1950s, this iconic 33 km gravel pass had become treacherous for travellers (even those using 4x4 vehicles), especially in extreme weather conditions. Reaching an altitude of 2 876 m above sea level, with grades as steep as 1:4 on the upper sections, Sani Pass often had to be closed for expensive maintenance. This hampered trade and mobility between Underberg on the western side of the SANRAL SA I CE 2022 Nat i onal Awards Category: Techn i cal Excellence Sani Pass Phase 2 – Roadworks (km 13.6 to km 25.0) 12 November 2022  Civil Engineering WINNER Technical Excellence category (Sponsored by SKI Civil and Structural Engineers) KEY PLAYERS Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport Consultant: Royal HaskoningDHV in Joint Venture with Semenya Furumele Consulting and Ndizani Civil Works Contractor: Leomat Construction The upgraded Sani Pass of improves accessibility in most weather conditions The Sani Pass crosses the summit of the Drakensberg Mountain range