TNPA starts US$22.5M road upgrade at Richards Bay
The 18-month programme on Urania, Newark and Ventura Roads will strengthen pavements, widen lanes and improve drainage at the port.
Transnet National Ports Authority has started road rehabilitation work at the Port of Richards Bay worth R375 million (US$22.5 million). The programme covers Urania Road, Newark Road and Ventura Road and began in October 2026 with an 18-month schedule.
Winnie Mpanza, acting Port Manager at Richards Bay, said the investment showed the authority's commitment to maintaining port infrastructure for trade. The work includes pavement strengthening, road widening, concrete surfacing, drainage and road-safety upgrades, and is expected to create about 72 construction jobs.
The roads give access to terminals that handle coal, bulk cargo and breakbulk freight at Richards Bay, South Africa's main bulk export gateway. The port handled about 24 million tonnes of coal exports in 2025, well below the terminal's 91 million-tonne capacity, with rail constraints the main limit.
Why it mattersLogistics operators using the port's access roads will face disruption during the 18-month works and should see shorter truck turnaround times once they are finished.