​Thembisa Shologu
The Gauteng Provincial Government has presented a bold portfolio of bankable, transformative infrastructure projects at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in South Africa (SIDSSA). 
Now in its fourth year, SIDSSA is the annual flagship platform hosted by the Investment and Infrastructure Office within the Presidency. The two-day symposium was held in Cape Town.
The event aimed to align infrastructure development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Development Plan (NDP) while facilitating access to sustainable and cost-effective funding sources.
Team Gauteng, led by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, participated in the symposium under the theme: "Delivering Catalytic, Scalable Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth."
Speaking to the media on the sidelines, Premier Lesufi stated that the province seeks to attract private-sector investors to support key infrastructure projects.
"We met a majority of them who have deposited 15 projects that we want the private sector to buy. Of the 15, I am hoping that at least five can be approved so that we can revitalise Gauteng and take it to the next level.
Lesufi stated that this buy-in will also create job opportunities for residents.
Due to the province's budget constraints, Premier Lesufi said the provincial government is unable to independently build new roads, hospitals, schools, highways or high-speed trains. 
As a result, the province is exploring public-private partnerships and loans to bridge the funding gap.
Referring his State of the Province Address, Lesufi highlighted 13 challenges facing Gauteng. 
"We cannot solve them if we cannot take our infrastructure portfolio to the next level because the majority of our infrastructure is either ageing, falling, vandalised and destroyed. We need a new thinking on how best we can take the new infrastructure of approach," explained Lesufi. 
Addressing the symposium, President Cyril Ramaphosa said infrastructure development presented a potential for endless opportunities, demonstrating stability and great potential to investors in South Africa.
Last month, Infrastructure South Africa released the second edition of the Construction Book 2024/2025, which lists approximately 250 construction projects with an estimated value exceeding R238 billion.
"By showcasing the types of infrastructure projects being developed, the Construction Book helps the construction sector and supplier industries anticipate demand for local materials, components and services," said President Ramaphosa.
This, he said, requires that projects have the credibility necessary for stakeholders to invest in them.
The president stated that the capital value of the Strategic Integrated Projects has increased from an initial R340 billion in 2020 to over R1.3 trillion by 2025.
This value is bolstered by the massive demand for privately funded projects that only require expedited regulatory approvals to reach financial close.
"The projects are making a difference in people's lives. Over the past year, more than R600 million has been committed to preparing projects across municipalities and public entities.
"To enhance greater focus on infrastructure, we are implementing reforms to make public-private partnerships easier, faster and more predictable.
"Some of the reforms we are focusing on will make it easier for public-private partnerships under the value of R2 billion to gain approval, and this will significantly reduce the procedural complexity of implementing public-private projects," added Ramaphosa.