Quarries ready for KZN rebuild efforts

Construction material suppliers are ready to assist the provincial government in KwaZulu Natal to repair roads and essential infrastructure damaged by recent flooding.

Under the banner of industry association, ASPASA, local producers plan to work with local authorities and construction firms to provide aggregates for ground stabilisation, roadworks and construction work to repair damaged infrastructure. Sand and aggregates comprise about 70% by volume of the material that will be needed.

According to ASPASA director, Nico Pienaar, some of the country’s largest and best run quarries are situated within the province and combined are easily able to deal with demand. The association has therefore appealed to the KwaZulu Natal provincial government, as well as the local engineering fraternity and construction firms to work with the association in order to source required materials and to secure supplies.

“Our members in the province have households and workers who have been affected by the floods. They see it as their responsibility to get involved and work together to rebuild the province as quickly as possible.

“The KwaZulu Natal Department of Transport recently launched a pothole repair campaign to address damage to roads during the floods and this is the type of project we want to get behind and assist. There is a lot of work that needs to be done and our members are right behind the construction heroes that are rebuilding the province,” says Pienaar.

No estimates have been presented, but the association believes that many thousands of tonnes of stabilisation material will be required to reclaim land lost to erosion.

While the construction and stabilisation work need to be done rapidly, the association recommends that strict control measures be maintained to ensure the quality of materials meets the required standards. Given their track record in the production of quality materials, ASPASA has encouraged the provincial government to source material from its members to ensure the infrastructure lasts beyond the next storm and for generations to come.