During the Opening of Parliament address in a joint sitting of Parliament held in Cape Town’s City Hall yesterday, President Ramaphosa said the government of national unity (GNU) has identified a number of infrastructure initiatives that could stimulate economic growth. In addition, the GNU has plans to simplify the regulations governing public–private partnerships to enable greater investment in both social and economic infrastructure development.
From the largest metropolitan municipalities to the deepest rural areas, the GNU has a clear intention to turn the country into a construction site, as roads, bridges, houses, schools, hospitals and clinics are built, as broadband fibre is laid and as new power lines are installed.
The GNU will pursue every action that will contribute to sustainable, rapid economic growth and remove every obstacle that stands in the way of growth, the President said. In addition, the country will forge a new inclusive growth path by pursuing massive investments in infrastructure.
In his address, the President said that significant projects are underway around the country in areas such as transport, roads, water, energy and human settlements. “We will massively increase the scale of investment in infrastructure through a more holistic and integrated approach,” he promised.
To this end, Infrastructure South Africa will be positioned as the central institution of coordination and planning. In addition, the GNU will simplify the regulations on public–private partnerships “to enable greater investment in both social and economic infrastructure development”, he said.
The President also indicated that the GNU will work towards building a maintenance culture for public infrastructure, and dedicate resources and establish systems to ensure this. He said the culture of poor maintenance of infrastructure has declined in recent times and has been replaced by one of attending to the infrastructure when it breaks and wears out.
GNU is also resolved to intensify its investment drive, encouraging and enabling businesses to invest in productive capacity. These investments will lead to increased employment creation for unemployed South Africans, especially for young people, the President also noted.
Sibongile Maputi
19 July 2024
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