BoitumeloMosakoinconversationwithMoneyweb-FinancingInfrastructure&DevelopmentinSouthAfrica

 

Boitumelo Mosako in conversation with Moneyweb - Financing Infrastructure & Development in South Africa

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South Africa’s economic ambitions are increasingly tied to its ability to deliver critical infrastructure projects, yet persistent execution challenges continue to slow progress.

Speaking to Moneyweb’s Jeremy Maggs at the recent RMB Think Summit, Boitumelo Mosaka, group executive for project preparation at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), argued that while significant progress has been made in creating an enabling environment for infrastructure investment, the country must accelerate project preparation and delivery to unlock growth.

Mosaka highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, development finance institutions and the private sector, while stressing the urgent need to address municipal capacity constraints and water infrastructure challenges.

Infrastructure investment and economic growth

Infrastructure funding, project execution, municipal capability and water security were among the key themes explored by Mosaka.

She noted that South Africa’s gross capital formation remains well below the level required to achieve meaningful economic growth, underscoring the need to increase infrastructure investment across key sectors.

While acknowledging concerns around slow delivery, Mosaka pointed to several initiatives aimed at accelerating infrastructure development, including partnerships in the rail and water sectors, as well as the newly established Infrastructure Investment for South Africa (IISA) office, which will focus on blended finance and public-private partnerships.

According to Mosaka, the greatest challenge is no longer planning but ensuring that projects are properly prepared and implemented.

She emphasised that South Africa has access to sufficient capital, but success depends on creating stronger partnerships that allow funding to flow into viable infrastructure projects.

A major obstacle remains the uneven capacity of municipalities, many of which lack the technical expertise and institutional capability required to plan, fund and execute infrastructure projects.

Mosaka explained that the DBSA plays a critical role in providing technical support, engineering expertise and project preparation assistance to help local authorities access funding and deliver essential services.

The discussion also focused on water infrastructure, which Mosaka described as an increasingly urgent national priority.

While South Africa made significant progress in addressing electricity supply challenges, she argued that a similar sense of urgency is now required to tackle water security risks, particularly at municipal and distribution levels.

Her message was clear: the plans, funding mechanisms and partnerships are increasingly in place, but execution and institutional capability will determine whether infrastructure can drive South Africa’s next phase of economic growth.