This is one of sixteen workstreams that comprise the EEC tasked to undertake research and analysis and advise on policies, strategies and optimal practices for the City in order to create an enabling business environment, as well as advancing and promoting economic development initiatives for the City within each mandated industry or sector.

Taking cognisance of this, Khumalo presented an overview to the Council on the status quo, challenges, observations and recommendations pertaining to the industry.

She explained that PPPs are “critical to unlocking infrastructure and accelerating the pace of development.”

Part of the observations of the I&PW was that the private sector is better equipped to execute property development rather than the City and that PPP’s were not getting the attention it deserved.

PPPS would reduce the constraints on public resources and fiscal space, while providing better public services through improved operational efficiency.

Khumalo said currently, there was no infrastructure plan to guide investment and provide certainty on availability of infrastructure, capital commitment, timing and supply of resources restricted by lack of adequate skills and training to ensure employment creation from projects.

The provision of an infrastructure plan from all government spheres and parastatals, the identification of “low hanging fruit”/projects will be impactful, the prioritisation of infrastructure to support these and the use of funding models that have been successful in the past such as Bridge City, Sibaya, Point Development, Riverhorse and the likes were some of the recommendations put forward.

“The workstream’s attention has been largely on property development, and not infrastructure challenges specifically and thus a need for sub-committees that will investigate aspects such as funding models and skills development interventions for these specific projects is needed,” said Khumalo.

She said the provision of the different parastatals infrastructure plans is to be guided by investment by the private sector so that there is certainty on availability of services especially for greenfield projects.

“Infrastructure plans are not to be done in isolation so that the private sector is able to steer their investments towards these plans to maximise economic impact and speed of delivery. A more acceptable environment for unsolicited bid,s especially on land that is currently not developed, which is key to investors,” Khumalo added.

Developments in the I&PW together with the remaining fifteen streams would be updated at the third EEC meeting scheduled to take place on 22 April.