Honouring women’s contributions to road infrastructure

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) proudly celebrates Women’s Day by highlighting the significant strides made by women in the construction industry.

“SANRAL’s transformation agenda, which is intended to foster inclusivity and diversity, recognises women as a crucial designated group within the construction sector,” said Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s General Manager for Communications and Marketing. “It is our transformation imperative to ensure that women are not only represented but thrive in an industry historically dominated by men.”

SANRAL continues to actively support women in construction by setting contract participation goals (CPG) to facilitate participation of woman-owned businesses in its road infrastructure development programme. Our preferential procurement framework enables equitable opportunities for the participation of women in all SANRAL’s infrastructure projects across South Africa.

In terms of SANRAL’s contract participation goals, 30% is reserved for targeted enterprises, 5% of which is allocated to businesses owned by women alongside other designated groups. By empowering women, SANRAL is contributing to the creation of a more inclusive and representative construction industry.

In the 2021/22 financial year, of the 9 129 jobs created by SANRAL, 2 482 were filled by women and 1 339 by young women. This saw an increase in the 2022/23 financial year where of the 11 366 jobs created, 3 231 positions were filled by women and 1 701 by young women.

Despite a number of challenges, SANRAL remains committed to its transformation goals and is proud to have attracted talented individuals in line with its Employment Equity Plan (EE Plan). The success of our efforts in this area can be seen in the increasing representation of women in management and senior management.

SANRAL is equally committed to nurturing the next generation of women leaders in engineering and construction through its comprehensive bursary programmes. These are designed to support talented young women in pursuing their studies in fields related to civil engineering, human resources, finance and supply chain. By investing in education, SANRAL is assured of a pipeline of skilled female professionals ready to lead the industry into the future.

“Women’s Day is a reminder of the incredible contributions women make to our society, and SANRAL is dedicated to creating opportunities enabling women to excel,” said Mona. “Our transformation policies and programmes are not just about compliance; they are about fostering real change and empowering women to take on leadership within our industry.”

SANRAL remains steadfast in its mission to promote gender equality and drive meaningful transformation within the construction sector.

Mona said, “As we reflect on 30 years of democracy, we acknowledge the progress made by empowering women and transforming our society. And as we celebrate Women’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting and uplifting women, ensuring they have the tools and opportunities necessary to succeed.”