About 

        

Social Needs
Strategic View
Objectives
The Model
Outcomes
Schedules
Funding
Definitions
About EGG
   

Founder
Empowerment Gateway Group

 

 

Strategic Goals and Objectives
 
Increase the amount of high-quality road surfaces in South Africa,
and create long-term income earning opportunities for 
unemployed men, women and youth while promoting 
the social entrepreneurship arena.
A good and well maintained road network is of paramount importance in the economic and social growth of any country. Citizens use the road infrastructure on a daily basis, either to commute to their place of employment, for social activities or to move freight. 

The role of good roads in the improvement of social conditions is vital; in fact, roads are generally regarded, after education, as the most important catalyst for a country’s development. Roads contribute to poverty alleviation by providing infrastructure for transport services to move goods and people, and by providing access for rural populations to markets and social facilities. 

Road systems are broadly divided into “economic” and “social” networks. 

The “economic networks” essentially are the primary and secondary road networks that carry substantial traffic and on which the vast majority of the transport activities take place, but which normally represent less than 20% of the total network length. 

Social road networks roughly are the rural road networks that carry only a small share of the total traffic load, but which extend to more than 80% of total network length. These networks must provide reliable all-season access to the rural populations in order to enable them to reach markets and social facilities. 

Roads contribute to poverty alleviation by promoting growth through the provision of infrastructure in corridors that connect villages, towns and cities across the country. While contributing to poverty alleviation, roads need to be safe. Only if due regard is given to appropriate arrangements to deal with road safety can roads really contribute to poverty alleviation.

There is widespread consensus amongst government, business, professionals, charities and road users that existing infrastructure falls far short of what the country really need.

According to the South African Road Federation, despite the impressive economic and social development record of roads as well as the high economic rates of return, fiscal authorities in South Africa have until recently, allocated a very low priority to road investment for the past 2 to 3 decades. The 21st century is an era of vast and complex needs for our roads sector allied to a need to involve all sectors of our society in the provision, maintenance and operation of roads. 

Empowerment Gateway, agrees with the sentiments expressed by the management of the South African Road Federation, and our contribution to this serious infrastructure problem was to conceptualize and create “The Adopt-a-Pothole” Socio-Economic franchise model anchored within a multistakeholder partnership. 

Aims and Objectives of Programme

General

  • Increase the number of individuals that are gainfully earning a living in South Africa.
  • Increase the number of skilled individuals willing to work within the infrastructure maintenance arena. 
  • Substantially reduce the amount of potholes in the South African road infrastructure.
  • Provide an access point for the general public to report potholes in their communities.
  • Reduce pothole patching carbon emissions by 40%.
  • Improve road safety and reduce costly accidents both in financial terms as well as in life terms.
  • Generate income and profits from the programme for distribution to programme beneficiaries as well as for social upliftment programmes.
  • Create a spirit of cooperation by reducing potential areas of conflict. 
  • Promote the principles of custodianship, leadership, accountability and responsibility and the safeguarding of the planet for current and future generations.
  • Promote multistakeholder partnerships by involving communities, municipalities, NGOs, social entrepreneurs and businesses.
  • Promote social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurism as an alternative to traditional business models.

Long-term

  • Train over a period of 5 years a minimum of 25 000 unemployed people in Social-Economic principles, Social Enterprise Development, Entrepreneurism, and Life Skills.
  • Create long-term income earning opportunities for 20 000 people, where earnings range from R 2500 for low skill tasks up to R 10 000 per month for business unit caretaking.
  • Repair 6 million square meters of potholes within 5 years.
  • Create an integrated social franchise support infrastructure.
  • Get buy-in and authorization in all the local municipalities were needs have been identified.

Pilot – Govan Mbeki Municipality

  • Train 100 individuals in Social-Economic principles, Social Enterprise Development, Entrepreneurism, and Life Skills
  • Appoint a minimum of 60 people per business cluster for an initial period of 12-months; thereafter on successful completion of pilot extend the period to 4-years under custodianship and apprentice contracts as trainee social entrepreneurs. (15 people per business unit)
  • Repair 20 000 square meters of potholes in 12-months
  • Pay R 5 million to the 60 beneficiaries as earnings in the first year of operations.
  • Get authorization and support from local municipality mayoral committee for pilot of 12-months and thereafter for another 4 years.
 
   

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Last Modified 07/09/09