The Municipal Infrastructure Support Indaba concludes with re-emphasises on importance of infrastructure provision as a key to socioeconomic development
The Municipal Infrastructure Indaba hosted today by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Ms Thembi Nkadimeng, concluded with a promise and commitment to support municipalities to ensure effective functioning infrastructure that benefits communities. The message from the Indaba was clear “South Africa stands at the crossroads of infrastructure advancement and development”.
The Indaba which benefited from the ideas of various stakeholders and role players was attended by Deputy Ministers Parks Tau and Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe; MEC from Provinces; the South African Local Government Association (SALGA); representatives from different provinces and municipalities; the Development Bank of Southern Africa; the University of Cape Town and the Council for the Built Environment, among others.
Reflecting on the past decade of MISA, the Indaba emphasised the District Development Model (DDM) approach to unlocking catalytic projects and resources to ensure the development of communities.
Even though the last decade was charectarised by collaboration, capacity-building, and responsive governance, the Indaba called for more partnerships to work towards ensuring socioeconomic development.
A recurring theme echoed by numerous speakers throughout the Indaba was the pressing issue of infrastructure that enhances community development and economic growth.
While there has been considerable emphasis on building new infrastructure units, the poor or lack of infrastructure maintenance and preserving existing assets has emerged as a critical concern. The broader sentiment underscored the importance of a holistic approach to infrastructure development, one that encompasses both expansion and maintenance to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of investments.
Addressing the Indaba, Minister Nkadimeng reflected on the role of MISA since its establishment in 2012. In summary, the Minister congratulated MISA for having been at the forefront of working with municipalities to address the acute capacity challenges they are facing. The Minister further emphasised the importance of agility and pragmatism in addressing local government challenges, especially as they relate to poor or no infrastructure. She indicated the need for policies to be enablers rather than obstacles in the pursuit of progress. In a powerful statement, she challenged officials to recognize that the impact of infrastructure delivery is magnified when women are its primary beneficiaries, highlighting the broader societal implications of the work being done.
Other speakers drew attention to the interconnectedness of challenges faced by municipalities and how these can often be traced back to weaknesses in the implementation of the key legislations to ensure full provincial and national support to municipalities as per section 154 of the Constitution.
The Indaba acknowledged that South Africa’s infrastructure is still skewed as urban areas continue receiving priority over rural areas. This calls for a shift to also include rural areas to ensure socioeconomic development which is a key in reducing migration to cities and also alleviating inequality and poverty.
The Indaba was indeed an opportunity to not only reflect on the decade of MISA’s excellence but was also a platform to reflect on the evolving landscape of municipal infrastructure development in South Africa.
The Indaba concluded with a clarion call for all stakeholders and role players to embrace collaboration, leverage synergies, and adopt a comprehensive approach to infrastructure development. MISA was also called upon to forge ahead with a formal relationship with Traditional Leaders through the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL), in order to close the visible gaps in infrastructure within the institution of traditional leadership.
Participants from the Indaba left inspired and invigorated to collectively shape a future marked by resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
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