Public Works and Infrastructure family agrees to make South Africa a building site
STATE OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY
The Public Works and Infrastructure MinMec, convened by Minister Sihle Zikalala, has committed to making South Africa a construction site in an effort to create as many jobs as possible to fight the unemployment crisis in the country.
The MinMec, which was attended by MECs that are responsible for Public Works and Infrastructure in all the provinces, took stock of the state of infrastructure in South Africa.
They received a detailed account of the strides that are being made to monitor and expedite infrastructure delivery, raise additional funding and address the issue of coordination of these efforts.
The MinMec concluded that in the face of a joblessness crisis in the country, the infrastructure portfolio must step up its efforts. It was agreed that all elements of the portfolio at all three levels of National, Provincial and Municipal government, must work in tandem to confront the scourge of joblessness.
The leaders of the infrastructure sector were in agreement as to the use of infrastructure to leverage mechanisms to build sustainable infrastructure through the mobilisation of private sector funding for catalytic infrastructure projects. The Infrastructure Plan, which was passed in 2014, will be used to ensure that there is sustainable, efficient, reliable and affordable infrastructure that enables economic growth and accelerates the creation of jobs across a swathe of economic sectors like network infrastructure, agricultural infrastructure, social infrastructure as well as human settlements infrastructure.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROPERTY SECTOR
The MinMEC agreed on a roadmap to transform the built environment sector. Among the interventions include a re-look at professional services within the built environment with the intention to address skills required by the various sectors and address skewed patterns of professional representations in the built environment professional councils. Mentorship programmes to support graduates in the built environment sector will be implemented vigorously. This monitoring of the placement of graduates/candidates is intended to ensure they are registered and they gain professional status.
EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME
The MinMEC resolved to accelerate the implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme as part of mass employment creation. The MinMec resolved to make this programme more impactful to participants in that it must provide skills that they can use even after exiting the programme. The participants will be trained in fields such as pothole fixing, bakeries, environmental management, etc.
Contact:
Thamsanqa Mchunu:
Director: Media and Stakeholder Relations
Mobile: 079 519 6997
Email: Thamsanqa.mchunu@dpw.gov.za
