creamer media

The second edition of the Projects in Progress supplement published at the end of September this year, highlights the need for the South African government to play a counter-cyclical project role.

As publishing editor, Martin Creamer notes: “It is good that the State is prepared to enter the fray with its project programme. In this way, there is a semblance of project balance and supply and demand forces are kept on a more even keel.” The shift by the South African government from a consumer-led growth trajectory to one that is increasingly balanced by a recovery in the productive sectors, is welcomed.

Emphasis has been placed on the urgent stimulation of mining and energy investment. Among the central constraints, however, are electricity shortages and infrastructure weaknesses, especially in heavy-haul rail services, ports and water, and it is important that opportunities are created for the private sector to assist government, as not all the projects will be government funded.

This electronic publication gives readers a sense of the current state of South Africa's project economy and provides an outline of not only industrial and mining projects under way in the country to tackle the constraints mentioned, but also of projects in other parts of Africa, where there are hopes for the continent to begin reaping a demographic dividend, courtesy of its young and rapidly growing workforce and its declining dependence ratio.

The report draws on information available in the public domain. The report does not purport to provide analysis of market trends.

Publication date: 08 October 2012