Editor’s comment

MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana FEATURES WRITER Ziyanda Majodina HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister DESIGNER Jaclyn Dollenberg CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Robert McCutcheon, Kevin McRae, Bhavna Soni, Frank Stevens, Swen Weiner PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za PRINTERS Novus Print Montague Gardens

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Rebuild and

maintain

The importance of a strong construction sector is crucial for South Africa’s current and future economic prosperity, with government’s approval of the National Infrastructure Plan 2050 (NIP 2050) – prepared by Infrastructure South Africa – forming a solid foundation for implementation. In turn, the NIP 2050 aligns with the achievement of the National Development Plan 2030.

Phase I of the NIP 2050 focuses on four platforms – namely energy, digital communications, freight transport and water – all of which are crucial for South Africa to remain competitive and sustainable.

Water security remains an overriding priority, as South Africa’s population grows, and the urbanisation trend intensifies. While the present status for South Africa’s dams is generally favourable – following heavy rainfall patterns experienced nationally – past extreme weather patterns have shown that drought conditions can return at any time.

Conservation and management remain key, as does addressing the maintenance backlog on water and wastewater treatment works, reservoirs and pipeline infrastructure. How stormwater is managed also needs intensive focus as floods become more common and river systems become overwhelmed.

In the case of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) floods, and the City of Durban in particular, the sheer volume of rainfall was out of all proportion to that previously experienced. However, the devastation highlights how future urban planning and infrastructure needs to respond to more frequent climate change events. This includes protecting and promoting indigenous vegetation and combating deforestation. The correct environmental practices go a long way towards preventing soil erosion and landslides that threaten lives and structures.

More responsive infrastructure

One of the mandates of the NIP 2050 model is a more responsive, coordinated and streamlined approach to project execution. The same applies to the interrelated roll-out of the Infrastructure Fund to get public-private partnership projects to market faster.

In this respect, the KZN disaster response will serve as an important test case of how effectively the three tiers of government can work in sync with the construction sector to mobilise and repair the damage. In rebuilding, there’s an added opportunity to fast-track projects already in the pipeline, such as waterborne school sanitation, rural road and bridge upgrades, and sustainable low-cost housing.

Within this context, government’s Expanded Public Works Programme can serve as a catalyst for muchneeded employment creation, skills transfer and SMME contractor development.

Road maintenance

The heavy rains have also brought into focus the pressing need to fix potholed roads, and in the process apply the most appropriate technologies. In this edition, we feature the launch of the Road Maintenance Forum (RMF), a collaborative industry initiative that sets out to share knowledge and expertise on best practices in lifecycle road asset management. It’s an endeavour that incidentally ties in well with the NIP 2050 freight transport mandate to enable road networks that support South Africa’s micro- and macro-economic objectives.

Within the infrastructure mix, energy, roads, transportation and water are among the core ingredients that help make all the other elements come together. Alastair

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

IMESA IMESA

The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

An agile approach adds quality to transportation projects

Roads & Bridges

The critical role of maintenance and management

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@infrastructure4 Infrastructure News

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