“Don’t just dig a hole”: Ramaphosa urges realism and readiness at SIDSSA 2025

By Tarryn-Leigh Solomons

In a powerful and candid address, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a dramatic shift in how infrastructure projects are conceived and executed across the country. Speaking at at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) on Tuesday, Ramaphosa acknowledged past failures in government, citing political fanfare that often-accompanied project announcements – without proper planning, funding, or technical readiness.

Speaking to a gathering of government officials, private sector leaders, and international financiers, Ramaphosa admitted that, for many years, South Africa had failed to align infrastructure ambitions with technical capacity, financial readiness, and stakeholder coordination.

“Please don’t do that,” he said, urging stakeholders to avoid launching projects without adequate preparation. “Come forward, talk to Infrastructure SA so that we are able to solve those problems.”

The President was referring to a long-standing trend in which major infrastructure projects were announced with fanfare – only to stall due to lack of planning or resources.

“Some of us in government will own up to that,” he said. “We had in the past not met a mission, great ambition that we had, with the reality of available technical skills that can make the projects bankable… So all these were completely disconnected.”

Ramaphosa lamented the “sword-turning ceremonies” where officials would ceremonially break ground on projects that had no solid foundation, financial backing, or engineering readiness.

“A lot of money just going to dig a hole,” he remarked. “And thereafter, it takes many years for us to come back to cut the ribbon when the project has been completed.”

One emblematic case he mentioned was the Umzi Mpuba Dam, first proposed in the 1960s. Despite being raised repeatedly over decades, including by himself and former Premier Oscar Mabuyane, the project only began progressing recently after funding issues were finally addressed.

In response to such systemic failures, the President highlighted the creation of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) – a dedicated unit initially established in the Presidency and now housed under Public Works and Infrastructure. ISA plays a pivotal role in streamlining project approvals, ensuring technical readiness, and unlocking finance.

“Infrastructure SA was established to break this horrible pattern of the past,” he said. “Now the entity has become a centre of excellence within government.”

According to Ramaphosa, ISA has resolved more than 75% of regulatory requests within 85 days on average, making it a critical enabler for fast-tracking strategic infrastructure projects.

The President also celebrated tangible achievements such as:

• The Hazelmere Dam wall-raising project, which now supplies increased water capacity to KwaZulu-Natal.
• The 100MW Redstone Concentrated Solar Power Plant in the Northern Cape, delivering clean energy to over 100 000 households annually.

“This is real, and it is happening here in our country,” Ramaphosa said to applause. “When Infrastructure SA is involved, things happen.”

He also pointed to strong private sector interest in infrastructure investment – especially in energy, transport, water, and digital infrastructure – as evidence that the landscape is changing.

“Many in the private sector are impatient, eager, and determined to come through and fund infrastructure projects,” he noted.

ISA’s Projects Preparation Fund supported 54 projects in the last financial year, totalling R259 billion in estimated value. In addition, government has identified 12 top priority projects, ranging from water augmentation to renewable energy and port infrastructure.

“We are now finding the brightest minds,” Ramaphosa said. “Of course, not all of us can be the brightest, but we have got them in Infrastructure SA.”

He closed with a rallying call for all partners – public, private, and international – to work together in a way that prioritises substance over spectacle.

“Let us not raise people’s hopes only to dash them,” he said. “Let us plan properly, prepare thoroughly, and execute effectively.”

With that, SIDSSA 2025 marked not just another policy forum, but what may be a turning point in how South Africa approaches infrastructure: with clarity, coordination, and a commitment to results.