Infrastructure projects worth about R21.4 billion, mainly roads and housing developments, have been completed as part of the government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) that aims to lead economic growth and recovery.
Cabinet approved the plan in May 2020, which outlines a pipeline of projects from all three spheres of government, state-owned entities and the private sector.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, said at a media briefing on Tuesday that 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 and human settlements infrastructure,” said Zikalala.
The plan forms part of the country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Cabinet also approved the establishment of Infrastructure South Africa 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 are regarded as a norm [rather] than an exception,” Zikalala said.
The public sector is projected to spend R903 billion on infrastructure over the medium term. The largest portion, of around R448 billion, will be spent by state-owned companies, public entities and through public-private partnerships.
As part of its contribution to the Oceans Economy under Operation Phakisa, Zikalala said the department had been working on rebuilding and refurbishing small harbours in the four coastal provinces. To date, the department has spent R500 million on the special intervention repair and maintenance programme at proclaimed fishing harbours in the Western Cape.
“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 KwaZulu Natal,” he said.
Zikalala highlighted 88 projects that form part of the IIP, including road projects in KwaZulu Natal, the Free State and Limpopo, that have been completed. 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. 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 complete. All surface works and 15% of all concrete works will be completed by the end of this year. – SAnews.gov.za
