As South Africa ramps up infrastructure investment and increases private sector participation, projects are becoming more complex, multi-stakeholder dependent and time sensitive, says multi-disciplinary engineering and construction partnership, Khewija GIBB Alliance (KGA) MD Carl Pretorius.

Moreover, project outcomes are too often undermined by fragmented processes, misaligned incentives and persistent delays.

In this context, integrated project delivery (IPD) is an attractive alternative, offering a collaborative approach that aligns stakeholders from the outset, strengthens coordination, mitigates risk and enables more efficient, predictable execution.

“IPD in the South African infrastructure context represents a shift away from the traditional, fragmented model toward a collaborative, shared-risk approach,” says Pretorius.

He explains that under the conventional delivery model, a client appoints a principal agent, often an architect, who develops the design, after which various engineers and contractors are engaged sequentially, with procurement and responsibilities divided across distinct project phases.

By contrast, IPD brings all key stakeholders, including the client, together from the concept stage, with a view to promoting joint decision-making, aligned incentives and shared accountability.

“Here, the success or failure of the project is collectively owned rather than distributed across isolated parties,” he adds.

Risks of the Project

Pretorius says IPD lends itself to understanding the risks for each partner, making decisions more transparent and affording a full understanding of the knock-on effects of delays throughout the process.

“It creates a full appreciation of the entire supply chain, protecting the critical path of the project. The business case and pathway to getting the ‘product’ to the end-user will be fully understood by all, no matter the scope of the job. This will help to materially improve timelines and result in greater cost certainty.”

He argues that broader adoption of IPD in South Africa depends on upskilling both individuals and organisations to better understand how it works.

“Equally important is securing early buy-in from all stakeholders on the execution methodology at the outset of a project. Finally, success at the execution level requires enlisting highly competent team members with a strong, results-driven mindset.

“Ultimately, an IPD approach drives clearer alignment among all stakeholders, projects are completed efficiently, on time and to standard, something South Africa urgently needs,” Pretorius states.

Delivery Challenges

The greatest delivery challenges hindering projects are delays in the release of funding, a lack of technical competence and procedural hold points, says Pretorius.

“In South Africa, the release of government project funding is often significantly delayed, in some cases taking several years,” he notes, adding that industry participants cannot enter the market legally without secured funding, as capital must be available to execute projects.

Meanwhile, Pretorius attributes the country’s decline in technical expertise, particularly on complex, multi-stakeholder projects that require experienced input and timely decision-making, to immigration.

“This is a significant issue: many professionals with five or more years of experience are emigrating or taking up expatriate roles, leaving behind a workforce with more limited exposure,” he stresses.

Consequently, projects are affected, as the shortage of the requisite expertise slows decision-making and creates delays across key project stages.

Stakeholders failing to agree on procedural hold points – key moments for review or decision-making – can also delay progress.

The private sector addresses this through the responsible, accountable, consulted and informed matrix, which clarifies responsibility and accountability; without this clarity from the outset, confusion can arise and projects may stall.

Pretorius says delays and cost overruns are frequently the result of inadequate upfront planning and stakeholders clinging to outdated practices that do not create value.

“Investing sufficient time in thorough, realistic preparation ensures alignment among stakeholders, making execution more efficient and streamlined.”

Fragmented Fundamentals

Stakeholder fragmentation is another major barrier to successful infrastructure project delivery as different parties often pursue their own agendas and interests rather than a shared objective.

In many cases, stakeholders, ranging from government bodies and private investors to local communities, hold conflicting views about priorities, such as profit generation, job creation or long-term affordability.

In the South African context, where infrastructure projects are expected to address broad societal needs such as employment and equitable access, misalignment can become especially marked.

For example, local businesses involved in a project may prioritise financial returns, while community members may emphasise immediate job opportunities and social benefits.

Without a clear, unified vision that brings these competing interests together, decision-making becomes slow and contested, leading to delays, inefficiencies and, in some cases, project failure.

“By contrast, countries like Singapore under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew demonstrate how aligning stakeholders around a common national agenda can significantly enhance project success,” concludes Pretorius.