SMALL businesses in Swartruggens, North West, are set to benefit from the partnership between the Bakwena Platinum corridor concessionaires and the Kgetlengrivier local municipality.

On Friday a memorandum of understanding was signed between the municipality and Bakwena. The memorandum was about the maintenance of the N4 road, which runs from Pretoria to the Botswana border.

The road belongs to Bakwena and the contract to construct the road, worth about R2-billion, was awarded to WBHO. This was after the government and Bakwena entered into a 30-year agreement to build the road.

Bakwena chief executive Graeme Blewit said local businesses would also benefit.

"We entered into an agreement with the government and were given access to build and finance the road four years ago at a cost of R2bn. They (WBHO) were awarded a contract to build the road but the maintenance, like fixing potholes, will be left to local contractors," Blewit said.

"Over the next four years, we'll spend R580m on the road. We'll build a dual carriageway between Rustenburg and Brits.

"We also plan to add sidewalks and median barriers. Small and medium enterprises will get R82m of the money for work on the road. We'll start just after Easter."

Both the N4 and N1, from Pretoria to Bela Bela, belong to Bakwena and by Blewit's own admission they are making a decent profit.

"We have about 160,000 vehicles using our roads daily and we make R2m a day," he said. "But it's important to note that most of that money goes into the maintenance of the road."

Kgetlengrivier mayor Kim Medupe said the partnership would bring an important change to the area.

"We have spoken to a number of business people in the area and told them that it's important that they improve how their businesses look.