The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) may be responsible for managing assets worth more than R6.5-billion and developing and managing 16 170km of roads that are the key to the economic prosperity of the nation, but there is a lot more to the organisation than engineering, says chief executive Nazir Alli.
At the heart of Sanral, the sole shareholder of which is the minister of transport, is an organisation that realises that its major responsibility is to bring opportunities and development to its employees.
Equally important is its role as a catalyst for change and growth within the communities its projects affect.
‘It’s not just about engineering,” says Alli, pointing out that Sanral, in ensuring that it meets the country’s transport challenges, also employs development planners, social scientists and environmental practitioners in every facet of its day-to-day business.
Since 1998, when Sanral first came into being as an independent statutory body, the organisation has strived to position itself as an employer that offers employees a place where talents are nurtured and everyone is offered opportunities for personal growth.
This is offered within an environment that has an emphasis the on transformation of the organisation into a body that recognises the rights of all South Africa’s citizens to compete in an open workplace.
Meeting this essential mandate, the company says just more than 60% of its employees are black and 67% of senior management are black.
Women make up 49% of the workforce and are strongly represented in senior management, where one-third of managers are female.
‘We provide a flexible environment where employees are encouraged and nurtured within the specific fields of their choice. The field of engineering is a wide one, and as such there are many options open to the engineers at Sanral.
The organisation ensures that resources are available for all to expand their horizons. It is the people who create and contribute to their working environment,” says Alli.
‘Part of this commitment is an ambitious training programme that offers opportunities in-house and specially developed management training through the Gordon Institute of Business — part of the University of Pretoria.”
Looking beyond the company, Sanral promotes the growth of civil engineering through its financial support of the Chair of Pavement Engineering at Stellenbosch University.
The company also sponsors mathematics and science laboratories at various universities around South Africa. Its belief in education as a medium of growth for individuals and the country is reflected in the human face of Sanral’s corporate social-investment programmes.
Extending from educational programmes on safety that are presented in schools nationwide, Sanral runs a scholarship programme for grades 10, 11 and 12. The organisation covers all schooling costs, from school fees to text books and uniforms.
‘Should any of these scholars go on to study in the engineering fields of civil, electronic, IT or transportation engineering, Sanral covers these costs through a comprehensive external bursary programme, which is also offered to students who are not part of the scholarship programme,” says Alli.
The practical implications of building roads are always taken into account, with the organisation paying as much attention to environment assessment and planning as it does to the communities its activities may impact on.
As it moves operations across the country, Sanral encourages the participation of communities in helping to identify and avoid work that may have a negativel impact on people.
Where possible, the workforce for a particular project is drawn from people nearby. Community projects are also undertaken by Sanral.
‘We believe that Sanral is more than just roads. It is an organisation where transparency and honesty between colleagues and suppliers is valued.
We encourage a participatory climate and believe that our ability to work for the country and remain an effective driver for socioeconomic growth and social change begins with all within the organisation,” Alli said.