BUILDING THE NATION: Public Works unveils major pivot focusing on municipal infrastructure

Minister Dean Macpherson is taking his ‘turn SA into a construction site’ energy to local government and municipal level, and leveraging the power of infrastructure development to lift our cities and metros.

Unveiling a strategic pivot at the sixth annual Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (Sidssa), Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson and Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) head Mameetse Masemola refocused priority from national mega-projects to local-scale development and structural integrity.

Macpherson described Sidssa as the country’s “second-most important investment conference” – an accurate assessment, considering the monumental task ahead.

Reaching the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 target of boosting gross fixed capital investment to 30% of national GDP will require ISA to mobilise R1.6-trillion in extra capital. This is over and above the R1.1-trillion the Treasury has already allocated for infrastructure projects. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Masemola pointed out that South Africa’s fixed capital investment is currently only 13.75% of GDP.

To close this massive investment gap, she explained that South Africa has to bring 16 to 20 mega infrastructure investments into procurement and construction every single year.

That’s at a national level, but Macpherson is now laser-focused on local-level visibility. He told Sidssa:

“This year’s theme is about shaping the future of municipal infrastructure. It reflects our focus on improving infrastructure delivery where South Africans and businesses experience the state most directly at a local level. Municipal infrastructure is essential to service delivery and economic growth. Reliable water, sanitation, electricity, roads, and waste services determine where the communities and businesses can function. Improving these systems requires more than additional funding.”

Macpherson and Masemola were not shy of giving the Ramaphosa administration 2.0 (aka the GNU) bouquets when merited.