President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to open the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium (SIDSSA) 2024, which will take place between 17 and 19 March 2024 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town.
The aim of this event is to drive the development of public and private sector-led infrastructure. SIDSSA 2024 is the launchpad for major energy projects in South Africaโs 2024/2025 pipeline.
Taking centre stage
South Africaโs long-term strategy for realising all-encompassing development, prosperity and advances in the quality of life for the countryโs citizens will take centre stage during SIDSSA 2024. This reaffirms the Presidentโs stated goal of attaining 5.5% year-on-year economic growth, a 6% unemployment rate together with a 30% gross fixed capital formation to GDP.
What is the SIDSSA infrastructure pipeline poised to do?
The SIDSSA infrastructure pipeline is ready to contribute substantially to industrialisation, local content creation as well as socioeconomic development in South Africa. Together with the eventโs assurance of building a resilient economy by speeding up the delivery of infrastructure, a couple of key infrastructure initiatives will be unpacked, such as:
- New international partnerships within Africa,
- A pipeline of 12 projects due to start development in 2024/2025 that have the support of the Infrastructure South Africa service provider initiative,
- The R640 million Musina Ring Road, which is a transportation project that is being launched to facilitate boosted economic activity between South Africa and neighboring countries, and
The transformation of the N3 highway into a Smart Freight Corridor – aimed at positioning the country as a freight and logistics hub for Africa.
Wins already netted
The construction of water infrastructure projects is seeing progress as well. The second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water project is in progress. The R39 billion highlands project will ease South Africaโs water constraints.
Other projects include the building up of the Hazelmere Dam wall, which is located in KwaZulu-Natal. By raising the wall from 85.98 m to 93 m, the country is increasing dam capacity from 23.9 million m3 to 43.6 million m3 , enhancing water supply for domestic, industrial and agricultural usage in the surrounding region.
In 2024, attendees can expect announcements on new international partnerships and joint ventures in South Africa together with the launch of all infrastructure projects going into procurement in 2024/2025.
