It is possible to bridge South Africa’s engineering and construction sector capacity gaps through education and training initiatives that provide a strong foundation for future infrastructure development projects, says civil engineering professional body South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE).

The existing infrastructure gaps – owing to the lack of infrastructure maintenance, operationality, investment and skilled engineers – are not insurmountable, says SAICE advocacy committee members John Samuel and Wynand Dreyer who are both public–private partnerships (PPP), Private Sector Participation (PSP) and infrastructure operations and maintenance experts.

The institution supports the professional development of engineering personnel through mentorship and ongoing education.

“SAICE encourages the appointment of competent engineering personnel to positions of leadership in national and provincial departments, State-owned companies and municipal-owned companies that have technical infrastructure in their mandate.”

Dreyer notes that the institution also wants to see the return of the City Engineer to the position of overall leadership of metropolitan-owned entities that provide engineering services for their constituents.

SAICE, as a trusted education and training provider, ran a course earlier this year – “What Does it Take to Put a Public-Private Partnership Together?” presented by Dreyer and Samuel which attracted 19 engineering officials employed by the City of Cape Town.

The city is showing the result of this learning, going out to tender on two major water infrastructure projects using the PPP model.

According to Samuel, examples of the PPP model include the new wastewater treatment plant in Faure, and a desalination plant, in Paarden Eiland – which will enhance water supply without having to tap into surface water resources. “The initiative taken by City of Cape Town officials will see these projects delivered by the private sector’s development skill, funding, operation and maintenance for a defined and lengthy contract period,” says Samuel.

Dreyer adds that, given the “tenuous confidence” that has become evident in the business community, owing to the reforms enacted by government, it is important that government leverage partnerships with the private sector, State-owned companies and key industry stakeholders to mitigate the erosion of business confidence.

Samuel insists that government should boost confidence by implementing the enabling laws and policies stipulated in the White Papers promoted by Operation Vulindlela,  which is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms and support economic growth through the modernisation of industries, specifically electricity, infrastructure, water, transport and digital communications.

“The interventions of business in the presidential crisis committees have been central to the pursuit of an investment-friendly environment for infrastructure development by private-sector participants. We cannot afford any more delays in implementation of the reform programme. White Papers and policy frameworks need to be converted into laws and regulations and then activated [as soon as possible],” he concludes.