South Africa Secures $13.3B in Pledges Amid Infrastructure Push

BREAKING NEWSMay 28, 2025 at 12:36 PM UTC

TLDR

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa has attracted more than R238 billion ($13.3 billion) in infrastructure investment pledges for the current fiscal year
The country's new project pipeline includes 250 infrastructure projects across energy, transport, and water sectors
Seven projects—such as the Boegoebaai port and a water system upgrade in Ekurhuleni—have been marked for priority development

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa has attracted more than R238 billion ($13.3 billion) in infrastructure investment pledges for the current fiscal year, marking a record inflow as the government prioritizes construction to revive economic growth and job creation.

Speaking at an infrastructure summit in Cape Town, Ramaphosa said the country's new project pipeline includes 250 infrastructure projects across energy, transport, and water sectors. Seven projects—such as the Boegoebaai port and a water system upgrade in Ekurhuleni—have been marked for priority development.

The announcement comes amid South Africa's shift toward a 10-party coalition government formed after the ANC lost its majority in 2024. The alliance has positioned infrastructure as the engine of economic recovery, after more than a decade of sub-1% average GDP growth. The National Treasury has allocated R1.03 trillion to public infrastructure over the next three years, with an additional R3.2 trillion needed from the private sector to close the gap by 2030.

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Key Takeaways

President Ramaphosa’s “construction site” vision reflects a bold strategy to reboot South Africa’s economy through public infrastructure investment. But while R238 billion in new pledges is a positive signal, structural hurdles remain. The public-private partnership (PPP) framework is viewed as overly complex, and investor concerns about corruption and governance continue to limit engagement. Deputy Finance Minister Ashor Sarupen highlighted the urgency, warning that investment levels—currently just 15% of GDP—are insufficient to sustain long-term growth. Without streamlined PPP reforms and greater transparency, the government’s R4.8 trillion infrastructure ambition by 2030 could remain underfunded. Still, the infrastructure push aligns with global investment priorities in energy, logistics, and water security. Success will depend on the government’s ability to accelerate implementation, crowd in private capital, and build execution capacity—especially at the municipal and provincial levels.

South Africa

Infrastructure Financing

Investments

FDI

Economy