By David Mahlobo, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation
Africa has never suffered from a shortage of infrastructure plans. Across the continent, governments, regional bodies, development finance institutions and the private sector have produced countless master plans, strategies and policy frameworks aimed at transforming our economies through infrastructure-led growth.
The real challenge confronting Africa today is not vision. It is execution. That reality formed the central message of my recent address at the DEVAC Infrastructure Summit in Johannesburg under the theme, “Africa’s Infrastructure in Motion – From Projects to Progress.” The theme could not have been more appropriate. For Africa, the defining developmental question of our time is whether we can finally move beyond declarations and conference resolutions toward practical implementation that changes the daily lives of our people.
Infrastructure remains the backbone of every modern economy. Roads, railways, ports, energy systems, digital networks, water infrastructure and sanitation systems are not simply construction projects. They are the productive foundations upon which economic growth, industrialisation, trade, investment and social development depend.
Without reliable infrastructure, there can be no sustainable economic expansion. Businesses cannot operate competitively. Investors lose confidence. Manufacturing declines. Logistics costs rise. Agriculture becomes vulnerable. Communities remain excluded from economic opportunity. Young people remain unemployed.
This is particularly important for Africa, a continent with immense economic potential, a rapidly urbanising population and one of the youngest demographics in the world. Yet despite this potential, major infrastructure deficits continue to constrain growth across much of the continent.
The lesson emerging across Africa is increasingly clear: infrastructure delivery requires more than ambition. It requires capable institutions, sound governance, technical expertise, project preparation, financial sustainability and long-term maintenance.
Too often, infrastructure conversations focus almost exclusively on announcing projects. But announcing projects is not development. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies are not delivery. Real progress is measured by whether water flows consistently from taps, whether electricity reaches homes and factories reliably, whether wastewater systems function properly, whether trains move efficiently, and whether businesses can produce competitively.
South Africa’s own experience demonstrates both the dangers of infrastructure decline and the possibilities of recovery through decisive intervention. For years, load shedding imposed devastating economic and social costs on our country. Economic growth was constrained, investor confidence weakened and households endured daily disruption.
Many believed the crisis had become permanent. But through policy reform, accelerated investment, regulatory changes, improved operational management and stronger coordination between government and the private sector, South Africa has made significant progress in stabilising the energy sector.
The importance of this achievement extends beyond electricity. It demonstrates that even deeply entrenched infrastructure challenges can be overcome through strategic leadership, institutional coordination and disciplined implementation. The same lesson now applies to water and sanitation.
South Africa is a water-scarce country. We receive significantly less rainfall than the global average, while nearly all our available water resources are already allocated. Projections indicate that without decisive intervention, the country could face a water deficit of up to 17 percent by 2030.
But contrary to popular perception, the immediate challenge confronting many communities is not always the absolute absence of water resources. In many cases, the deeper crisis lies in infrastructure management, governance failures, ageing systems, financial instability and poor maintenance within municipal water services.
Across the country, communities continue to experience recurring water interruptions, sewer spillages and declining service reliability even where infrastructure already exists. The latest Green Drop and No Drop assessments reveal a deeply concerning reality. Nearly half of treated municipal water is lost through leaks, poor management systems or operational inefficiencies. Wastewater infrastructure in many municipalities continues to deteriorate.
This is not merely a technical problem. It is fundamentally an institutional and governance challenge. Infrastructure without capable institutions eventually collapses. Pipes alone do not deliver water security. Sustainable infrastructure requires professional management, proper maintenance, financial discipline and long-term operational sustainability.
Government is therefore pursuing reforms aimed not only at expanding infrastructure investment, but also at strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering services. The Department of Water and Sanitation has allocated approximately R12.8 billion this financial year toward municipal water and sanitation infrastructure projects across the country. Strategic investments are being directed toward improving supply reliability, rehabilitating wastewater systems, reducing water losses and expanding access to underserved communities.
At the same time, reforms are being implemented to improve the financial and operational sustainability of municipal water services. Municipalities are being encouraged to ring-fence water revenues, strengthen accountability and ensure that income generated through water services is reinvested into maintenance, operations and future infrastructure expansion.
This is critical because one of the major lessons emerging from infrastructure failure globally is that maintenance can no longer be treated as secondary to new construction. In fact, one of the cheapest and most effective infrastructure investments often lies in improving efficiency, reducing losses and maintaining existing systems properly.
South Africa is also investing significantly in long-term national bulk water infrastructure. Approximately R105 billion has been committed toward strategic water infrastructure projects up to 2030. These include major catalytic projects such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase Two, the uMkhomazi Water Project in KwaZulu-Natal, the Mokolo-Crocodile Water Augmentation Project in Limpopo, the Vaal-Gamagara Scheme in the Northern Cape and the Mzimvubu Water Project in the Eastern Cape.
These projects are not isolated engineering exercises. They are economic infrastructure platforms designed to support industrial development, mining, agriculture, energy generation, regional integration and long-term water security. However, government also recognises an important reality: public finances alone will not be sufficient to address Africa’s growing infrastructure demands.
This is why infrastructure financing models must evolve. Across the continent, increasing emphasis must be placed on blended finance, infrastructure preparation facilities, public-private partnerships, concession models and alternative implementation mechanisms capable of mobilising private capital and technical expertise at scale.
South Africa’s establishment of the Water Partnerships Office within the Development Bank of Southern Africa reflects this strategic shift. The Office is designed to help municipalities prepare bankable water projects and attract investment into critical areas such as non-revenue water reduction, wastewater treatment, desalination, water reuse and alternative service delivery mechanisms.
Importantly, this approach is not about privatising public assets. It is about mobilising investment, innovation and expertise to improve public service delivery and ensure sustainability.
The broader lesson for Africa is that infrastructure delivery cannot succeed through fragmented approaches. Governments, development finance institutions, investors, engineers, technology providers and the private sector must increasingly operate as strategic partners within integrated infrastructure ecosystems.
Africa now stands at an important historical moment. The continent’s future growth trajectory will depend significantly on whether we build infrastructure systems that are reliable, resilient, climate-responsive and inclusive.
Infrastructure is ultimately not about concrete, steel or pipelines alone. It is about economic freedom. It is about restoring dignity to communities. It is about creating jobs for young people. It is about enabling industrialisation, regional trade and inclusive growth.
History will not judge African governments by the number of plans we produce or summits we convene. History will judge us by whether our people have reliable water, functioning sanitation, stable electricity, efficient transport systems and expanding economic opportunity.
The task before us is therefore clear. We must build institutions that can deliver. We must prepare projects that can attract investment. We must strengthen governance and accountability. We must embrace innovation and partnerships. And above all, we must ensure that infrastructure investment ultimately improves the lived reality of ordinary citizens.
Africa’s infrastructure future will not be built through plans alone. It will be built through execution.
