As part of government’s commitment to grow the economy through infrastructure delivery, projects worth about R21.4 billion that mainly comprise of roads and human settlement have been completed.
These projects are part of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, which articulates the country’s need for an infrastructure-led economic growth and recovery. The plan was approved by Cabinet in May 2020 and it outlines pipeline of projects from all three spheres of government, state-owned entities and the private sector.
Addressing members of the media on Tuesday in Pretoria, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, said the total value of projects currently in construction is R313.5 billion.
Projects in procurement stand at R295.2 billion.
“The Infrastructure Investment Plan focuses on ensuring that there is sustainable, efficient, reliable and affordable infrastructure that enables economic growth and accelerates the creation of jobs across a swathe of economic sectors like water infrastructure, network infrastructure, agricultural infrastructure, social infrastructure, human settlements infrastructure,” the Minister said.
In tandem, Cabinet also approved the establishment of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) as an infrastructure centre of excellence and a single point of entry for infrastructure planning, management, and delivery.
“We are a government that is envisioning a new economic architecture where job creation, participation of local suppliers into the construction, maintenance and property management value chains is regarded a norm than an exception,” Zikalala said.
The public sector is projected to spend R903 billion on infrastructure over the medium-term. The largest portion of this, around R448 billion, will be spent by state-owned companies, public entities and through public-private partnerships.
The Minister said the Infrastructure Investment Plan is an integral part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Minister provided an update on some of the infrastructure projects, which are part of the 88 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) that were gazetted by government.
Various road projects in KwaZulu- Natal, the Free State and Limpopo have been completed. In addition, housing projects in Gauteng and many other projects across the country are in construction and procurement phases.
Some of these are:
- Phase 2 of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme will commence this month. Government plans to build 96 bridges in total and three per quarter to enable rural communities in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, and North West to safely access schools, workplaces and public amenities. R3.8 billion is allocated for the programme over the medium term.
- The construction of enabling bulk infrastructure, such as roads and water components for the Lufhereng Mixed-Use Development in Gauteng, begins in June 2023. It will support the development of 31,000 mixed housing units.
- Access roads for the Umzimvubu Water Project in the Eastern Cape are nearing completion. The construction of the Ntabelanga Dam, which is a part of this project, will begin later this year.
- In the Western Cape, site establishment for the Clanwilliam Dam raising project is completed. All surface works and 15% of all concrete works will be completed by the end of this year.
- The total value of projects completed is R21.4 billion – mainly roads and human settlement projects. The total value of projects currently in construction is R 313.5 billion. Projects in procurement are standing at R295.2 billion.
Hijacking of project sites
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) will be meeting with the Economic Sabotage Unit, set up within the police, to deal with economic crimes including the rising phenomena of so-called construction mafia who invade, intimidate and disrupt delivery of projects on the ground.
“We re-iterate that everyone is allowed to partake in economic activity in the country but this must be done in a legal and orderly fashion.
“We will continue to engage communities on how they can benefit from construction projects and the entire value chain. Equally, we will mobilise communities to work with law enforcement to fight corruption, crime, and the construction mafia who are sabotaging the delivery of infrastructure and hampering job creation,” the Minister said.
The state of small harbours
As part of its contribution to the Oceans Economy under Operation Phakisa, the department has been doing work in rebuilding and refurbishing of small-declared harbours along the four coastal provinces of our country.
To date, the department has spent a total of R500 million on the special intervention repair and maintenance programme to the proclaimed fishing harbours in the Western Cape.
The entire programme thus far has created a total of 672 jobs and empowered local small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) to the value of over R61 million.
“In the quest for the development of new harbours, the Department is in the process of finalising the in-kind grant from the Chinese government to conduct feasibility studies along the coastlines of the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
