{"id":78752,"date":"2016-09-25T23:53:15","date_gmt":"2016-09-25T21:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/sanral-environmental-management-programme-underway-for-n2-wild-coast-toll-road\/"},"modified":"2016-09-25T23:53:15","modified_gmt":"2016-09-25T21:53:15","slug":"sanral-environmental-management-programme-underway-for-n2-wild-coast-toll-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/sanral-environmental-management-programme-underway-for-n2-wild-coast-toll-road\/","title":{"rendered":"SANRAL environmental management programme underway for N2 Wild Coast Toll Road"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANRAL environmental management programme underway for N2 Wild Coast Toll Road<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\"Michelle-Ah-Shene7\"<\/p>\n

PROTECTING NATURAL HERITAGE: Michelle Ah Shene, Communications Manager for SANRAL Southern Region holds a sample of Rapanea melanophloeos, one of the plant species that will be searched and rescued as part of the environmental management plan for the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 22 September 2016 – The South African National Roads Agency Soc Ltd (SANRAL) has initiated their planned environmental conservation programmes designed to protect the Eastern Cape plant biological diversity and natural heritage of the Wild Coast as part of the environmental management plan of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road (N2WCTR).<\/p>\n

SANRAL announced today it is in the process of evaluating proposals following a formal tendering process for a service provider with botanical and conservation expertise to implement aspects of the environmental management plan for the N2WCTR. The successful service provider – to be appointed later this month by SANRAL – will be responsible for search and rescue, horticultural and rehabilitation services of threatened, protected and rare plant species near the sites of the Msikaba and the Mtentu Bridges outside Lusikisiki and Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n

Search and rescue missions will take place before all phases of the project including the initial construction of haul roads to the Msikaba and Mtentu river bridge sites (scheduled for September 2016 \u2013 February 2017), the construction of the two mega-bridges (early 2017 – late 2019), and for construction of all other road works and bridges ( 2018 – 2020\/21).<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first priority is to put programmes and initiatives in place to comply with the conditions of the record of decision from the Department of Environmental Affairs. All SANRAL road construction and engineering projects in South Africa and the Eastern Cape have stringent and well-planned environmental management plans, but none more so than on these N2 Wild Coast Projects. All SANRAL projects are finely monitored and evaluated. The environment and communities in the Wild Coast are and will be our first priority,\u201d said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL\u2019s Southern Region Manager.<\/p>\n

Peterson said SANRAL is working with and not against environmental justice groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem is that provocateurs are conflating the issue of commercial mining in one small part of the region with this road, demonising the Wild Coast road as something bad for the environment and that SANRAL engineering projects destroy the natural environment and local heritage. The N2WCTR and the mining projects are two separate projects, and are not interconnected,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, we are now giving final reassurances that SANRAL maintains a stellar track-record in environmental management as we have always done, and we will treat the Wild Coast natural and cultural heritage with respect,\u201d Peterson said.<\/p>\n

The appointed service provider will be responsible for:<\/strong><\/p>\n