Transport month was declared in 2005 and has since been used not only to promote road safety, but also to raise awareness on the benefits road transportation has on the economy. The driving factors behind the management of the TRAC N4 Route as it is known today is in direct line with these two principles.
Running from Tshwane, in Gauteng, through Mpumalanga, to the Port of Maputo in Mozambique, the N4 Route is under concession to Trans African Concessions (TRAC) through a Public-Private-Partnership signed in 1997. The idea of the corridor was borne after South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994 when the country’s government together with its Mozambican counterparts conceptualised the development of a corridor to re-establish trade links between the two countries.
Aptly named Maputo Development Corridor Initiative, the idea was to develop the N4 between those regions to such an extent that it would facilitate the stimulation of trade and investment between the towns, cities and countries along the Corridor and provide them with access to global markets through the Port of Maputo.
The port, which is closer and more conveniently situated to landlocked industries in Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga than those on the South African coastline, was, at the time, under-resourced and under-utilised due to the sanctions imposed against South Africa’s apartheid government and the Mozambican civil war. The TRAC N4 has contributed to this objective to such an extent that today the harbour is a highly successful, innovative and thriving export and import facility that has undergone major upgrades since 1997 to increase the tonne capacity.



TRAC’s 30-year concession with the South African and Mozambican national roads agencies – SANRAL and ANE respectively – requires TRAC to develop and maintain the N4 to such an extent that improves and facilitates the stimulation of trade and investment in its regions – namely Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Mozambique. This is made possible through the funds generated from toll fees from the six mainline and four ramp plazas that TRAC operates along the route namely:
SOUTH AFRICA
Mainline Plazas
Diamond Hill Plaza
Advertorial
Middelburg Plaza
Machado Plaza
Nkomazi Plaza
Ramp plazas
Ekandustria Ramp Plaza
Valtaki Ramp Plaza
Cullinan Ramp Plaza
Donkerhoek Ramp Plaza
MOZAMBIQUE
Moamba Plaza
Maputo Plaza
Spanning 570km, the TRAC N4 Route is a BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) national road which also links the Greater Witwatersrand cities of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to the Port as it connects to the N12 near Emalahleni (Witbank) and thus has become a favourite among importers and exporters due to its world-class infrastructure which makes it reliable and efficient.
The professionalism, support and care provided by TRAC along this road have also led to its popularity as it offers all road users a sense of safety and security. Apart from excelling in routine road maintenance services which ensure the road remains on par with world standards, TRAC is also responsible to ensure that its infrastructure meets international road safety regulations.


CSI
Part of TRAC’s role as the concessionaire of the N4 Route is to ensure that the communities along the corridor benefit from the development of it. TRAC is not only responsible for maintaining, building and upgrading the road – we are also socially responsible for, and dedicated to, its neighbouring communities. We aim to uplift and develop such communities by boosting knowledge and skills through specialised short, medium and long-term programmes which in turn enhance economic standing.
To ensure that our CSI initiatives have long-term effects, we work diligently with national, provincial and local government and various NGOs in a bid to ensure that target communities benefit fully. Given the broad spectrum of our road, and the fact that we serve eight local municipalities, we co-ordinate our social development efforts through the relevant Mpumalanga Provincial Government department or the Premier’s office.
In most instances Memoranda of Understanding are signed with the specific provincial government structure putting all stakeholders on the same page.
Our CSI principles and strategy are governed by a strict CSI Strategic Document which is in line with the NDP (National Development Programme), our concession contract and B-BBEEE principles and focuses on five key areas:
- Socio Economic Development and Enterprise Development
- Education and Skill Development
- Environment
- Road Safety
- Maputo Corridor
TRACAssist
Safety is one of TRAC’s core priorities and thus we put great effort into ensuring a safe road for all road users. We monitor the road closely and take corrective action to improve road safety at prominent accident spots, working together with law enforcement authorities as well as Emergency Services and other important stakeholders.
We believe in being proactive and therefore also conduct daily route patrols. These are handled by our road patrol and emergency response units known as TRACAssist. These units, together with the TRAC 24-hour Helpdesk are available 24/7/365 to assist road users with emergencies, incidents, or queries throughout the Maputo Corridor.
In the event of an emergency along the route, the TRAC 24-hour Helpdesk can be contacted and the agents on duty will dispatch the appropriate roadside assistance and/or accident response teams as well as alert relevant emergency services to ensure that additional assistance is delivered to road users in need.
In view of this it is advisable to keep TRAC’s helpdesk contact details close by when travelling on the Maputo Corridor. These are:
TRAC HELPDESK SOUTH AFRICA
Tollfree: 0800 87 22 64
Mobile: 082 881 4444
Email: helpdesk@tracn4.co.za
TRAC HELPDESK MOZAMBIQUE
Toll Free: 800 9022
Email: linhadocliente@tracn4.co.mz




