The Infrastructure Fund has since its establishment packaged projects with a capital value of R21-billion.

Over the next three years, government will introduce additional measures to improve the delivery of public infrastructure and attract private capital. The Budget 2022 estimates that public sector infrastructure spending will exceed R810-billion.

Provinces and municipalities are expected to spend R185-billion and R194-billion on infrastructure, respectively.

In particular, the Infrastructure Fund is increasing skills and capacity in the structuring of blended finance projects, where most of the financing will come from the private sector.

Government is prioritising 55 new infrastructure projects with a value of R595-million.

One-third of the 62 Strategic Integrated Projects gazetted in 2020 are under construction or completed. The remaining projects, which are in early stages of development, are receiving additional project preparation support.

At the moment, the Infrastructure Fund is collaborating with public agencies to prepare six projects with a combined investment value of R96-billion in higher education accommodation, social housing, telecommunications, water and sanitation and transport.

These include projects to modernise six border posts shared with neighbouring countries, a project called South Africa Connect to ensure universal access to broadband services for all South Africans, Phase 2 of the uMkhomazi Water Augmentation Project and six municipal water and sanitation projects related to the Water Infrastructure Programme. 

In particular, Finance Minister Enoch Gondongwana highlighted on February 23 that the border post modernisation, including that of Beitbridge, was at an advanced stage of preparation. Feasibility studies have been completed and a request for proposal will be issued in March.

The National Treasury reaffirms in its Budget 2022 document its commitment to working on several reforms to strengthen public investment management and the associated value chain, including reviewing the public-private partnership framework, prioritising strategic infrastructure projects and building a strong project pipeline.