Skilled project management is key to the infrastructure renaissance

GEORGE ASAMANI: Skilled project management is key to the infrastructure renaissance

To avoid pitfalls, government strategy must emphasise robust planning and financial prudence

04 March 2024 – 05:00

byGeorge Asamani

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Construction workers work on the roof of a new building. File photo: WERNER HILLS

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2024 state of the nation address (Sona) shed some light on future investments aimed at strengthening the economy and enabling greater opportunity and prosperity for all South Africans. While he offered a more palatable presentation of a difficult reality, there is no denying that the SA landscape is marked by a pressing need for new infrastructure that not only addresses current inadequacies but also anticipates future demands.

The projects the president outlined are critical for economic growth, energy security and fostering environmental stewardship. His foresight was evident in his plans to allow private operators to access the rail network in a bid to overhaul the freight rail system. The decision to invest in port and rail infrastructure is a prudent move.

This “strategic hedging” will yield significant dividends for SA’s economy and its people by providing an alternative route to the Suez Canal, which is currently under fire. Geopolitical Monitor reports that developments in the Middle East, beyond the Israel-Gaza conflict, reflect security challenges that could draw the entire region into an unprecedented conflict spiral that would have serious negative effects beyond the region.