Infrastructure masterplan includes 33 transport-related projects

Southern Africa’s existing
port infrastructure will
not be able to cope
with an expected five
times increase in port
throughputs by 2030.
This was one of the
challenges identified
at the first stakeholder
workshop on the SADC
regional infrastructure
development master
plan (RIDMP) held
in Johannesburg in
December last year.
More than 100 delegates
attended the workshop
whose aim was to reach
consensus on a strategic
framework for the
RIDMP that was first
developed in 2009. With
no funding in 2010, it was
re-launched last year with
the support of Trademark
Southern Africa and the
Development Bank of
Southern Africa. The
aim is to have it in place
for at least 15 years to
define benchmarks,
minimum and ultimate
regional requirements and
development targets in the
area of infrastructure.
According to Barney
Curtis, executive director
of the Federation of
East and Southern
African Road Transport
Associations (Fesarta),
providing a development
framework for
infrastructure to meet the
requirements and targets is
essential for the southern
and east African regions.
He said following the
workshop, which was also
attended by directors of
SADC, Comesa and EAC,
some 58 projects were
included in the RIDMP.
Some 33 of these projects
were in the transport
sector.
“Weighbridges were not
included in the report as
SADC noted these were
included in its regulation
and policy programme,”
said Curtis. “Fesarta
suggested as they were
part of road infrastructure,
they should also be
included in the RIDMP.
Border posts, while
mentioned in the report,
were also not covered in
detail and as they are the
main reason for border
delays this should also be
addressed.”
Curtis said the next step
following the workshop
was for a framework to be
created following inputs
from member states and
stakeholders.
“An action plan will
then be drafted for the
RIDMP,” said Curtis.
No timeline, however,
was available as to when
this would be concluded.