South Africa is facing a growing infrastructure backlog with maintenance deficits just for government properties exceeding R30 billion in 2025. It is for this reason that FirstRand Head of Infrastructure, Judy Kobus, argues that something needs to be done to ensure that infrastructure development happens at a much more faster pace.

Speaking to the SABC at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Kobus says pressure is mounting on both the private and public sector to collaborate in resolving these challenges.

“You can feel the infrastructure backlog … you can feel it as a citizen and I think that there is a lot of pressure for us as the private sector and also the public sector to work together deliver the infrastructure in a much more expeditious way than what we have seen in the past,” she says.

Kobus is one of over 2800 participants at the forum aimed at the development of the private sector in Africa, which has brought business leaders, investors and heads of state as well as ministers to forge a shared vision for Africa’s growth and global competitiveness.

She says, however, it is not doom and gloom, arguing that while there are challenges when it comes to the pace of the development, there are some positives.

“I’d say that with the recent reforms that we have seen in SA, we have seen a deep focus on the network infrastructure. So, the industry is galvanised (so that) there is economic growth and job creation. So, we have seen development, particularly in renewable energy with the lifting of the regulations around getting a getting license, where we have seen the private sector … according to the presidency, we are getting a stat that the private sector has delivered about six gigawatts just based on the lifting of the regulations,” says Kobus.

She says there is also a special focus on the water infrastructure and transport, which, she says, are encouraging.

“There is also a key focus on water infrastructure. We are working very closely with our municipalities and the water partnership office around getting those projects developed and out in the market. And also, the transport, I mean with the large-scale reforms around Transnet and Prasa as well and those are very, very encouraging for us in the sector.”

The forum has entered its second and final day.

FirstRand Head of Infrastructure, Judy Kobus, argues that something needs to be done to ensure that infrastructure development happens at a much faster pace. #SABCNews #AfricaCEOForum pic.twitter.com/okP60xcvBS

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