SA’s infrastructure is under growing pressure, with the demand for services outstripping supply. Public infrastructure is at particular risk of failure, is not coping with normal demand, and is poorly maintained, according to the SA Institution of Civil Engineering’s 2022 Infrastructure Report Card.
The country’s economic infrastructure — with the exception of energy generation — remains in a satisfactory condition, says the report. But social infrastructure, which includes water, sanitation, hospitals, schools and public transport, has degraded significantly since the publication of the last report.
While there is significant appetite for infrastructure investment, the risk issues and political uncertainty need to be addressed before this investment will be realised. Poor levels of business confidence as a result of persistently high levels of load-shedding, logistics challenges at local ports and in the rail sector, and ongoing concerns about safety at construction sites are just some of the reasons for declining rates of fixed investment.