Infrastructure Dialogues 2012

Listening, Reflecting and Acting – Seeking Lessons from our Infrastructure Sector Performance

 

A comprehensive study identifying critical challenges and issues in implementing government’s planned three-year, R800 billion infrastructure development programme has been released. The study commissioned by the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) in the Presidency and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), formed the basis of discussion by public and private sector representatives at the 20th in the series of Infrastructure Dialogues. The Dialogue preceded a special Presidential Infrastructure Investment Conference in Sandton where President Zuma announced that the infrastructure development programme could involve investment of as much as R4 trillion over the next 15 years.

Issues raised by presenters and in discussions between them and other Dialogue participants included:
• Institutional and governance challenges identified by the study on the state of economic infrastructure, and the critical importance of ensuring that social and economic growth from the infrastructure development programme is inclusive;
• New infrastructure funding challenges arising from the continued international recession and the downgrading of South Africa’s credit rating;
• The need to define the type of state South Africa is; and the nature of a Developmental State and how it can be underpinned through a social compact;
• The relationship between the public and private sectors;
• The role of local government; and
• Prioritising infrastructure investment and defining who should benefit.