R21.4 Billion Worth Of Projects Completed, Infrastructure Minister Says

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala has disclosed the completion of infrastructure projects worth R21.4 billion.

Zikalala spoke with media in Pretoria on Tuesday, revealing that these projects are part of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, which focuses on "ensuring that there is sustainable, efficient, reliable and affordable infrastructure that enables economic growth," SANews reported.

These projects will reportedly help the government create more jobs in several economic sectors including water infrastructure, network infrastructure, agricultural infrastructure, social infrastructure and human settlements infrastructure.

"We are a government that is envisioning a new economic architecture where job creation, participation of local suppliers into the construction, maintenance and property management value chains is regarded a norm than an exception," he continued.

The minister further shared that the public sector is projected to spend R903 billion on infrastructure in the medium term while the largest portion of this, which is R448 billion, will be spent on public entities and through public-private partnerships.

He noted that the Infrastructure Investment Plan is an important part of President Cyril Ramaphosa's announced Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP), which was first announced in October 2020.

The minister revealed that various road projects in KwaZulu- Natal, the Free State and Limpopo have been completed. Meanwhile, housing projects in Gauteng are under construction and procurement phases.

Zikalala shared that Phase 2 of the Welisizwe Rural Bridges program will start this month and the government is planning to build 96 bridges in total. R3.8 billion is allocated for this.

"The construction of enabling bulk infrastructure, such as roads and water components for the Lufhereng Mixed-Use Development in Gauteng, begins in June 2023," he said further. "It will support the development of 31,000 mixed housing units."

He also shared that the access roads for Umzimvubu Water Project in the Eastern Cape are almost completed and Ntabelanga Dam construction will start later this year.

"In the Western Cape, site establishment for the Clanwilliam Dam raising project is completed," the minister explained. "All surface works and 15% of all concrete works will be completed by the end of this year."

In total, R21.4 billion worth of projects have been completed, and the overall value of projects is R313.5 billion.

During the media briefing, the minister also addressed the "so-called construction mafia who invade, intimidate and disrupt the delivery of projects on the ground," noting that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) would meet the Economic Sabotage Unit to setup police in order to deal with such economic crimes.

"We reiterate that everyone is allowed to partake in economic activity in the country but this must be done in a legal and orderly fashion," the minister added. "We will continue to engage communities on how they can benefit from construction projects and the entire value chain."

"Equally, we will mobilize communities to work with law enforcement to fight corruption, crime and the construction mafia who are sabotaging the delivery of infrastructure and hampering job creation," he continued.