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 Solomon Kganyago, Isak Malherbe, Chetan Mistry, Gert Nel, Jonathan Schroder, Jacques Smith, Bhavna Soni, Altus Strydom, Jan Venter 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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Investing in

SOUTH AFRICA’S FUTURE

South Africa is widely recognised as a country admired for its Constitution and its strategic role within Africa and the world. Staying the course, however, depends on vibrant and ethical leadership, which – from an investor’s perspective – is especially important.

In this respect, the appointment of Raymond Zondo as South Africa’s new Chief Justice, effective 1 April 2022, sends a clear and positive message to the market. Zondo previously headed the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State. His appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa signals a fresh approach to ironing out issues that have hampered development.

Together with a strong and independent Reserve Bank and backed by an emerging alliance between the public and private sector, renewed attention on legal and policy frameworks is great news in terms of repositioning South Africa for sustained growth.

A changemaker

Blessed with a wide array of metals and minerals, South Africa’s mining sector remains one of our most important economic sectors, alongside agriculture and manufacturing. The same is equally true for construction, which, despite its continued negative ranking in terms of GDP, is our most significant enabler in support of all industry segments.

Roads, transportation, water and sanitation are among the critical driving forces for macro- and microeconomic initiatives and, going forward, need special-purpose vehicles to prioritise their investment. A prime example is government’s proposal to establish a National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA), which is the right step. Without a concerted focus on water, meaningful progress cannot be achieved.

According to a media statement, “The entity is envisaged to undertake the building, operation, financing and maintenance of national water resources assets, while the department retains responsibility for planning, regulation, policy and price setting.” A key mandate of the NWRIA is to work with private sector investors to ensure South Africa’s current and future water security. Given the generally poor state of the country’s water and wastewater plants, this provides opportunities for outsourced operations and maintenance – a practice common in both the developed and developing world.

South Africa Investment Conference

The world remains invested in our economy, underscored by the 4th South Africa Investment Conference. Some 80 investment pledges were made, totalling some R332 billion.

Adding up the tally from all four conferences, the total amount of investment pledges now stands at approximately R1.14 trillion. Sectors include automotive, renewable energy, telecommunications, steel, and mining.

From an enabling and implementation perspective, South Africa’s municipalities have a crucial role to play, spurred on by programmes that include CoGTA’s District Development Model (DDM). The DDM is one of the key mechanisms geared towards unlocking capacity and crowding in investment within municipalities and the towns and cities they represent.

In parallel are allied initiatives that include the Western Cape Provincial Government’s R10 million Municipal Ease of Doing Business Fund. According to a press statement, “Knysna, Hessequa, George and Drakenstein have already benefitted from the 2021/22 iteration of the fund, which focused on improving government-facing services in the construction and planning sector.”

Across the board, infrastructure investment is the basis for real growth, and the sooner this starts in earnest the better – for all stakeholders – so that South Africa can forge ahead with its Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.

Alastair

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

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

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

NuWater is invested in municipal water

NJ Bouwer

Execu� ve, NuWater

APE Pumps

YEARS OF PUMP

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