Engineering and Infrastructure: SA sees a rise in construction activity

Dec 8, 2023 1:20:51 PM

"By January this year, projects worth R232-billion were under construction, and projects worth nearly R4-billion had been completed. The completed projects include new human settlements in Gauteng, road upgrades, and the development of small harbours," said President Cyril Ramaphosa."

An ironworker wearing a hard installing rebar

By Sinazo Mkoko

In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February this year, His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa said one of the greatest obstacles to infrastructure investment was the lack of technical skills and project management capacity. To fix this, he shared that Infrastructure South Africa has been allocated R600-million for project preparation, specifically in rural and under-resourced areas.

His Excellency President Ramaphosa said that the support and planning mechanisms that the government had put in place over several years were now starting to bear fruit in increased public investment in infrastructure.

"By January this year, projects worth R232-billion were under construction, and projects worth nearly R4-billion had been completed. The completed projects include new human settlements in Gauteng, road upgrades, and the development of small harbours," said President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In road development, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has awarded road construction contracts worth R18-billion between November 2022 and January 2023.

"The construction of the Msikaba Bridge and Mtentu Bridge will be finished and make travel in the Eastern Cape much better."

He added that 24 bridges in KwaZulu-Natal were currently under construction, and site preparations were being made for a further 24 bridges.

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, said South Africa has a strong core network of national economic infrastructure, yet investment in infrastructure has lagged over the past ten years.

‘In addition to reviving the construction sector, a significant infrastructure push will support local manufacturing and other related sectors across the value chain.

"As the Department, we welcome the post-COVID-19 improvement in property investment in the country, which has improved from almost R2.8-trillion post-COVID-19 for the residential industry to R6.7-trillion." Hon. Zikalala

Implementation of strategic infrastructure projects in the country

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure confirmed that since the announcement of the infrastructure projects in 2020, some great strides can be reported, with a number of projects completed to the value of approximately R4.63-billion.

"Projects completed were mostly covered within the Transport (including the Small Harbours in the Western Cape) and Social Housing Programmes." Five out of twelve SANRAL gazetted projects and four social housing projects were completed," the department said.

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