Introduction

SANRAL has been entrusted with the task of developing

And maintaining the national road network which is of great strategic importance to the economic growth of South Africa. SANRAL has since its inception in 1998 used various models and strategies to achieve its mission, primarily through predicting and reacting timeously to the demand of a sophisticated road national network.

The approach to development and implementation of projects have undergone considerable changes in the last decade with significant policy shifts in respect of governance, gender, road safety, and training in general. SANRAL supports the notion that economic development cannot be separated from the broader issues concerning the well-being of our young democracy, and fully supports the undeniable linkages between economy, environment and society.

The South African Government was mandated

In 2004 to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014. The AsgiSA strategy was accepted to be a national shared growth initiative, rather than merely a ‘government programme’. The AsgiSA is a step further in Governments development policies for urban and rural poverty pocket that were launch in 2001 . These policies identified 21 rural and urban nodes to be concentrated on in all development programmes.

SANRAL adds value to all the developmental initiatives which are taking place in our 13 year old democracy in the fields of transport, education, health, and development of communities to create life-long benefits. We revel in our role as partners in the development of all our communities and see this as closely aligned to our core function. The simple fact is that economic stability and the strengthening of democracy cannot be separated.

In recognition of the importance of development

SANRAL has developed a Community Development philosophy and implementation model to support national initiatives. The understanding of the concept Development is seen as essential in the understanding of SANRAL’s strategic role in the economic growth and its contribution to bridging the gap between the first and second economies of South Africa. The concept Development is used broadly and in some instances loosely to describe some action. Development is the positive social, economic and political change in a community. Positive Development requires skills, institutions, local knowledge and experience.

The felt needs and self-understanding of people and communities are crucial in their experiences of Development. Furthermore, Development implies the creation of wealth through a consultative practise and should not only address infrastructure provision, but also social and economic development.

These are usually measured in terms of improvements

In metrics such as GDP, life expectancy, literacy, levels of employment, etc, although harder to measure, changes in less tangible soft factors should also be considered. These include issues such as personal dignity, freedom of association, personal safety and freedom from fear of physical harm, and the extent of participation in civil society.

Community Development thus implies that both concrete and abstract human needs will be addressed in a learning process. The process is people driven with the aim to create human development, self-sufficiency and dignity. Participation does not only mean physical labour, but also part of the decision making process during and after the community assessment process.

This philosophy of Community Development

Was accepted as the guideline in the interaction with communities and in the provision of appropriate infrastructure. SANRAL believes that communities should receive a lifelong benefit to enable a better life, whether it be a safe road surface on a busy highway or a bridge in a remote community to give access to schools and clinics, a community development approach ensures that the benefit reaches all.