Africa has no shortage of infrastructure plans or vision, but turning those ambitions into infrastructure delivery requires execution, warns Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo.

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 economies through infrastructure-led growth.

“Too often, infrastructure conversations focus almost exclusively on announcing projects,” he commented in an opinion piece, noting that real progress will be measured by whether water flows consistently from taps, electricity reaches homes and factories reliably, wastewater systems function properly, trains move efficiently and businesses can produce competitively.

“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.”

Despite Africa’s immense economic potential, with a rapidly urbanising population and one of the youngest demographics in the world, major infrastructure deficits continue to constrain growth across much of the continent.

Infrastructure remains the backbone of every modern economy, with roads, railways, ports, energy systems, digital networks, water infrastructure and sanitation systems serving not merely as construction projects but also as the productive foundations upon which economic growth, industrialisation, trade, investment and social development depend.

“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,” he added.

Without reliable infrastructure, there can be no sustainable economic expansion, Mahlobo emphasised.

“South Africa’s own experience demonstrates both the dangers of infrastructure decline and the possibilities of recovery through decisive intervention,” he said, citing the example of years-long load-shedding in South Africa, which imposed devastating economic and social costs on the country, leaving in its wake constrained economic growth, weakened investor confidence and daily disruption for households.

“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.”

This, he said, demonstrated that even deeply entrenched infrastructure challenges can be overcome through strategic leadership, institutional coordination and disciplined implementation.

The same lesson can be applied to water and sanitation, Mahlobo said.

“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% by 2030,” he explained.

However, the crisis lies not in a lack of water resources, but rather in infrastructure mismanagement, governance failures, ageing systems, financial instability and poor maintenance within municipal water services.

Across the country, communities continue to experience recurring water interruptions, sewer spills and declining service reliability, even where infrastructure already exists.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS’s) latest Green Drop and No Drop assessments revealed that nearly half of treated municipal water is lost through leaks, poor management systems or operational inefficiencies, and that 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.”

The South African government is therefore pursuing reforms aimed at expanding infrastructure investment and strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering services.

The DWS has allocated about R12.8-billion in the current financial year to municipal water and sanitation infrastructure projects across the country, while strategic investments are being directed towards improving supply reliability, rehabilitating wastewater systems, reducing water losses and expanding access to underserved communities.

Further, reforms are being implemented to improve the financial and operational sustainability of municipal water services, through ring-fenced water revenues, strengthened accountability and ensuring that income generated through water services is reinvested into maintenance, operations and future infrastructure expansion.

“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.

About R105-billion has been committed towards strategic water infrastructure projects up to 2030, including major catalytic projects such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II, in Lesotho; 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,” said Mahlobo.

“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.

He pointed out that South Africa’s establishment of the Water Partnerships Office within the Development Bank of Southern Africa reflects this strategic shift, with the office designed to help municipalities prepare bankable water projects and attract investment into critical areas such as nonrevenue water reduction, wastewater treatment, desalination, water reuse and alternative service delivery mechanisms.