N2 project to create ‘thousands of jobs’, vows Ramaphosa
The president said through national roads agency SANRAL and other government entities this will continue to create jobs for women and young people and benefiting entrepreneurs and SMMEs.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that the N2 Wild Coast Road project will create thousands of jobs for locals in the Eastern Cape.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the ongoing construction site of Msikaba bridge in Lusikisiki. The bridge is part of a R1,65 billion investment project for economic development in the region.
The bridge is expected to connect the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga.
The president said through national roads agency SANRAL and other government entities this will continue to create jobs for women and young people and benefiting entrepreneurs and SMMEs.
“Work on the N2 Wild Coast Project will lead to the creation of 8,000 direct full-time jobs and between 21,000 and 28,000 indirect jobs during the construction phase. This translates to a wage bill of around R750 million.
“Both skilled and semi-skilled people have already been employed on this project. Once the road is completed, ongoing maintenance work is anticipated to create another 900 direct, full-time jobs and around 19 000 indirect jobs.”
Ramaphosa also took a swipe at community activists in areas like Xolobeni, who are resisting developments in the name of nature, heritage conservation and beneficiation.
“Using intimidation or violence to secure a share of benefits from the project is counterproductive, I am glad that even construction companies that come here have become more sensitive even if they want to make profit, but they work with the communities to create jobs.
“Even our communities in Exolobeni let us engage to see how we can reach an agreement on the project we have been talking about, we must desist from criminality and vandalism.”
The construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
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