It is widely understood that South Africa’s economy is set to be a casualty in the fight against COVID-19. Industries caught in the lockdown restrictions are eager to get back to work, and the construction industry is no different. However, the plea of the built environment goes beyond the current urgency for economic activity. Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) has long been encouraging partnership and collaboration with government in spurring infrastructure development, both private and public.

Now, while South Africans are staying home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the built environment industry is in the prime position to use this period to undertake the much needed planning for infrastructure development for the future whilst also assisting in giving effect to managing the maintenance of existing infrastructure, which is at risk of further deterioration. Notwithstanding the fact that such asset maintenance strategies had been made available for public sector in 2007 already, most often this has not been implemented. The risk is that of much of this infrastructure will be run to failure, beyond which point maintenance would not be possible. South Africa will have to invest large amounts of capital to replace such failed infrastructure, something we can ill afford. However, the move for improved service delivery in respect of timely attention to maintenance requires that better use be made of private sector consulting engineering expertise at the disposal of the public sector, sooner rather than later, to supplement entities where such capacity is lacking.

“At our Annual Infrastructure Indaba held in March this year, we highlighted the value that CESA can offer in the re-capacitation of key state institutions. We have stayed true in our offer to partner with government to enable a capable state,” says CESA CEO, Chris Campbell. In her keynote address at the Indaba, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille stated that building capacity within her department would be key in speeding up the implementation of infrastructure delivery. “We will give infrastructure the attention it deserves,” she said.

As part of its commitment, CESA made use of its database of unemployed engineering practitioners seeking employment as well as its database of retired engineers who wished to offer their expertise and mentorship to the industry and shared this with DPWI. However, it seems this partnership is yet to bear fruit for the built environment industry and the many unemployed engineering graduates, with projects across the country progressing at a “snails” pace.

Campbell continues: “With billions of Rands being earmarked for infrastructure development prior to the pandemic, and current reports of stimulus packages into the trillions, government has demonstrated an intention to proceed with these, however, we do need to ‘walk the talk’ as a matter of urgency if we are to arrest the further negative growth of our economy. The private sector is eager to work with government on public service delivery, but government needs to ensure that there will be more policy certainty, less misalignment and more efficiency in the various permitting systems, which easily add several more years to the delivery process from the time that projects do commence.”

In response to the challenges facing the built environment and construction industries, a COVID -19 Construction Rapid Response Task Team was established in April with participation from key industry bodies to look at the recovery of the industry. This included partnering with government to ensure effective and integrated rollout of infrastructure projects, and private sector partnership for infrastructure development. “We are ready to jump into action, as we see the built environment as a key driver for both economic and social development which is so desperately needed at this time. The construction industry has the potential to mitigate the setbacks in our economy brought on by the lockdown, an action understandably necessitated by the need to stem the tide of the growing risk of a spread of the pandemic,” says Campbell.

At the indaba held earlier this year, Minister De Lille said, “We are a government of announcements. We need to start implementing those announcements”. “Ke Nako, Minister de Lille,” urges Campbell. “We encourage government to stay true to its plans to accelerate infrastructure development,” he concludes.