Editor’s comment

MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana FEATURES WRITER Ziyanda Majodina HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister DESIGNER Lizette Jonker CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Peter Fenton, Prashil Gareeb, Jitesh Harripershad, Vladimir Milovanovic, Luke Reid, Bhavna Soni, Santosh Soobryan, Kevin Volmink 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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Forging a social

AND CONNECTED COMPACT

Following the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA), and the National Budget Speech on 23 February, South Africans across the board are analysing and digesting the facts and statements presented. Collectively, we’re all ‘shareholders’ in South Africa Inc. and heavily invested in terms of lives and livelihoods in a positive outcome. After a tough 24 or so months of Covid-19, the solutions are even more significant and, as taxpayers, we’re depending on ethical and decisive leadership to take us forward.

At SONA 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa referred to “a new consensus which embraces our shared responsibility to one another and acknowledges that we are all in this together.” As is the case for leading nations worldwide, he also emphasised the role of government to create an enabling environment for the private sector as the vital catalyst for socio-economic prosperity. Key to this is the ease of doing business, so it’s encouraging to see that there’s a renewed commitment to cutting the red tape.

A construction resurgence in 2022

Could 2022 be the year that South African construction takes pole position in terms of GDP sector ranking? Perhaps we’re not quite there yet, but the fact is that many of the SONA or Budget Speech objectives can only be achieved with private sector infrastructure investment.

Going forward, South Africa’s overriding objective is to address youth unemployment, and unemployment in general. Futuristic industries, like the emerging green hydrogen sector, have far-reaching benefits. But it doesn’t help those with no immediate job prospects or employable skills.

To be inclusive, the economy must create paths for unskilled or semi-skilled jobseekers to enter the market. One of the starting points is labour-intensive construction (LIC), an initiative that has always formed part of government’s Expanded Public Works Programme but has arguably lacked traction in terms of capacity and sustainable skills transfer.

Prime LIC opportunities include government’s unfolding roads programmes, so vital for socioeconomic prosperity. At SONA, for example, it was stated that plans are in place to use LIC techniques to construct or upgrade 685 km of rural routes over the next three years. Allied initiatives include the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme being rolled out by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure Development, with the SANDF as the implementing agent. These and other initiatives create a perfect platform for aspiring jobseekers to enter the construction sector and build their foundational skills.

An inclusive digital economy

Before employment creation can start in earnest, though, the pathway to prosperity for all learners, jobseekers, aspiring SMMEs and everyone else is the internet of things. Free Wi-Fi or access to affordable cellular services and the web are now make or break factors in our increasingly smart world.

For this reason, opening the market up to new network providers is essential. The most recent development here is the radiofrequency auction scheduled to take place in March 2022 under the auspices of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). This will be the country’s first spectrum auction, and the outcome is expected to have a positive ripple effect on pricing and connectivity.

When everyone is connected, irrespective of their financial means, then we have made a breakthrough that opens the doors to exciting new possibilities.

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

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Product leadership doesn’t happen by chance

John Fleetwood

Managing Director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

Thought Leadership

Moving people and the economy

Municipal Focus: eThekwini EMERGENCY REHABILITATION OF THE SEAWARD ROAD BRIDGE

To our avid readers, check out what we are talking about on our website, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and have your say.

@infrastructure4 Infrastructure News

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