South African Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala and UK Trade Envoy and MP Andrew Selous have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two countries share experience, expertise and best practices in the prioritisation, financing, procurement and management of infrastructure projects.

The renewal and consolidation of these trade relations will contribute to improving South Africa’s capacity to deliver infrastructure projects and to attract investments, Zikalala said.

The partnership will see a stronger collaboration between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) programme, which plans and manages the delivery of Infrastructure, and the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), which executes infrastructure projects on behalf of the UK government.

As part of the agreement, the UK will support infrastructure projects in South Africa, and facilitate the necessary financial and technical capacity.

“Infrastructure delivery is a critical component of South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery programme [South Africa's] government has placed infrastructure as key to the development and re-igniting of our economy. We value investing in infrastructure projects as they have a multiplier effect and beneficiation in the whole economic value-chain, especially job creation. We consider infrastructure as the backbone of our economy,” said Zikalala.

Areas such as energy, hydrogen and water, especially the construction of dams, transport especially logistics and road-to-rail initiatives, as well as the construction of bridges are urgent areas of intervention that should benefit from the partnership, he highlighted.

Selous welcomed the renewal of the good relations and committed that the UK bridge company would form part of the delegation from the UK that would be visiting South Africa and tour projects under construction.

Further. the UK has reaffirmed its commitment to support the South African government’s infrastructure agenda, and to leverage UK expertise and innovation to facilitate the sharing of technical knowledge, advice, skills and expertise across the infrastructure sector.