Surface miners supplying building materials to the construction industry are standing ready to assist the provincial Government in KwaZulu Natal to repair roads and essential infrastructure that was damaged in the recent floods.
Under the banner of its the industry’s 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 future 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.
“This is all of our country and 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 lots of work that needs to be done and our members are right behind the construction heroes that are rebuilding our neighbourhoods,” says Nico.
No estimates have been presented, but the association believes that many thousands of tons of stabilisation material will be required to reclaim land lost to erosion. Road aggregates, sand and stone for concrete, aggregates for railway ballast and a variety of other uses also need to be procured.
While the construction and stabilization work need to be done rapidly the association recommend that strict control still be maintained over the quality of materials used and that ASPASA members be used as far as is possible to ensure the infrastructure lasts beyond the next storm and for generations to come.
ASPASA, Nico Pienaar, Tel: (011) 791 3327, Fax: 086 647 8034, Email: nico@aspasa.co.za, Web: www.aspasa.co.za