50 major projects planned for South Africa – including a new mega city and space hub

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille, says that government plans to build more than 50 special infrastructure projects to boost jobs in the country.

Presenting on the plans on Monday (27 July), De Lille said that infrastructure-led economic growth is the most effective and significant parts of government’s economic growth strategy to grow our economy while at the same time respond to the Socio-Economic needs of our people.

This aligns with comments made by president Cyril Ramaphosa, who said that infrastructure development will form a key part of South Africa’s economic response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The severe economic recession, together with the Covid-19 pandemic, has now placed an added urgency on us to navigate a new normal,” De Lille said

“In this new normal, there is an even greater need to partner in the investment and implementation of infrastructure that will facilitate social and economic growth in a workable and purposeful way.

“In South Africa, infrastructure investment, together with the use of public land and public buildings, is a critical lever to achieve spatial and economic justice by connecting our people, integrating our communities and bringing people closer to work opportunities.”

De Lille said that the first 50 projects of the programme and an additional 12 Special Projects were gazetted on Friday 24 July 2020 as Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) in terms of the Infrastructure Development Act.

She broke down these developments in more detail below.

Water

Collectively the Water and Sanitation projects are worth R106 billion in investment spanning across all provinces with the potential for direct job creation is estimated at around 25,000, said De Lille.

“For example, the Phase 2A of the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP-2A) in Limpopo will increase water supply in the Lephalale region. The economic impact of increased water supply is determined by the primary use of additional water.

“In the case of the MCWAP-2A, the water will be used as a second source for the Medupi and Matimba Power Stations, which will also help to meet the growing demand for water in Lephalale Municipality.”

Some of the gazetted projects include:

• Vaal River System including Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project: Gauteng;
• Phase 2A of the Mokolo Crocodile River (West) Augmentation Project: Limpopo;
• uMkhomazi Water Project: KwaZulu Natal;
• Olifants River Water Resource Development Project – Phase 2: Limpopo;
• Vaal-Gamagara: Northern Cape;
• Mzimvubu Water Project: Eastern Cape;
• Rehabilitation of the Vaalharts-Taung Irrigation Scheme: Northern Cape & North West;
• Groot Letaba River Water Development Project – Nwamitwa Dam: Limpopo;
• Berg River Voëlvlei Augmentation Scheme: Western Cape;
• Rustfontein Water Treatment Works: Free State;
• Orange-Riet Canal Increase of Bulk Raw Water Supply: Free State.

Energy

Three projects from the energy sector have been gazetted, its total investment value is R58 billion and its potential for direct job creation is estimated at 6000.

“As an example, the emergency power programme involves the development, installation, and operation of a total aggregate of up to 2,000 Megawatts new generation capacity in South Africa from independent power producers (IPP) projects.”

Some of the gazetted projects include:

• Emergency/Risk Mitigation Power Purchase Procurement Programme (2000MW);
• Small IPP Power Purchase Procurement Programme (100MW): National;
• Embedded Generation Investment Programme (EGIP)-400MW: National.

Transport

In the Transport sector, a total of 15 projects to the value of R47 billion in investment value have been gazetted. The potential for direct job creation in this sector is estimated at 50,000.

Some of the gazetted projects include:

• N1 Windburg Interchange to Windburg Station: Free State;
• N1 Musina Ring Road: Limpopo;
• N1 Polokwane Eastern Ring Rd Phase 2: Limpopo;
• N1 Ventersburg to Kroonstad: Free State (two projects in one);
• N2 Mtunzini Toll Plaza to Empangeni T-Junction: KwaZulu Natal;
• N3 Cato Ridge to Dardanelles: KwaZulu Natal;
• N3 Dardenelles to Lynnfield Park: KwaZulu Natal;
• N3 Paradise Valley to Mariannhill Toll Plaza: KwaZulu Natal;
• N2 Edwin Swales to South of EB Cloete Interchange: KwaZulu Natal;
• N3 Ashburton Interchange to Murray Road: KwaZulu Natal;
• N3 Mariannhill Toll Plaza to Key Ridge: KwaZulu Natal;
• N2 EB Cloete Interchange: KwaZulu Natal;
• Small Harbours Development: National;
• N3 New alignment via De Beers Pass: Free State;
• Boegoebaai Port and Rail Infrastructure Project: Northern Cape.

Residential 

In the Human Settlement sector, projects worth R138 billion worth of investment have been gazetted, the projects have the potential to create an estimated at 190,000 direct jobs, said De Lille.

“The Mooikloof Mega Residential City Project is one of our few projects coming straight from the private sector and demonstrates the strength of the SIDS process and methodology to deal with projects from the private and the public sector,” she said.

Some of the gazetted projects include:

• Greater Cornubia: KwaZulu-Natal;
• Vista Park II & III: Free State;
• Lufhereng: Gauteng;
• Malibongwe Ridge: Gauteng;
• N2 Nodal Development: Eastern Cape;
• Matlosana N12 West: North West;
• Green Creek: Gauteng;
• Mooikloof Mega Residential City: Gauteng;
• Fochville Extension 11: Gauteng;
• Germiston Ext 4 Social Housing Project: Gauteng;
• Newcastle Hospital Street Social Housing Project: KwaZulu Natal;
• Hull Street Social Housing Project Phase 1: Northern Cape;
• Kwandokuhle Social Housing Project: Mpumalanga;
• Phola Heights – Tembisa Social Housing Project: Gauteng;
• Sondela Phase 2: Gauteng;
• Willow Creek Estate: Mpumalanga;
• Joe’s Place Social Housing: Gauteng;
• Jeppestown Social Housing Project (Unity House): Gauteng.

Digital

The digital sector has a single project gazetted worth R4 billion with the potential to create an estimated 700 direct jobs, said De Lille.

“The Space Infrastructure Hub for National Development will allow for the development of satellite infrastructure, satellite-based augmentation systems, and earth observation satellites.”

Read: South Africa preparing for coronavirus recovery: Ramaphosa