Closing Africa’s infrastructure gap is essential to place the continent on a trajectory
to double-digit growth and sustainable development, Prof Jeffrey Sachs noted.
Africa needs 10% per year growth in the next 15 years and the only way to achieve
this is to focus on large scale investments in trans-national infrastructure projects
in power, roads, broadband, and other core infrastructure needs.
In the local context, the South African Government adopted the National Infrastructure Plan in 2012. The
plan was to transform the economic landscape, creating jobs and strengthening service delivery in the
process. The plan also supported integration of African economies. These investments are improving
South Africans access to healthcare facilities, schools, water, sanitation, housing and electrification. On
the other hand, investment in ports, roads, railway systems, electricity plants, hospitals, schools and dams
is contributing to rapid economic growth.
