South Africa aims to attract more private investment into infrastructure

Source: Reuters.

"Over the medium term, government is transforming its approach to public-sector infrastructure by creating the conditions to attract private-sector participation," the National Treasury's mid-term budget review said.

The Treasury also said the government was developing a blended finance risk-sharing platform to build on its independent power-producer programme.

The platform will include a credit guarantee vehicle, expected to be operational by the end of 2025, to help de-risk public-sector projects for private developers and lenders.

This vehicle will be rolled out on independent transmission projects first, with the option to include other sectors over the medium term.

The Treasury did not say how much private-sector investment it hoped to attract.

"There is no specific number, but we are institutionalising their (the private sector) involvement in our infrastructure agenda," director-general Duncan Pieterse said.

About 70% of infrastructure investment is done by the private sector while the government is responsible for the remaining 30%, Pieterse said.