The two non-negotiable conditions to close Africa's infrastructure funding gap

KNOWN as Africa's richest square mile, Sandton's skyline is often portrayed with high-rising corporate office blocks, luxury modern apartments, and towering construction cranes.

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Home to financial institutions such as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, iconic landmarks like Nelson Mandela Square, and some of South Africa's leading companies forming the country's economic epicentre, Sandton has always been a beacon of enterprise.

Yet, if you drive through the congested streets of South Africa's business capital today, there is a noticeable difference in the city's skyline. While the skyscrapers, shopping centres, and executive apartments remain, there are very few construction cranes in sight.

Since hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup over 15 years ago, South Africa has seen a level of stagnation in largescale infrastructure development. The most notable infrastructure initiative has been the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP), attracting around R200 billion in investment and procuring 7.7GW in renewable electricity generation. Despite these significant sustainable infrastructure developments, the overall period of prolonged hiatus has unseated South Africa as the leader in infrastructure development on the continent, with other African countries surpassing this former front runner.

Driven by post-conflict reconstruction efforts and economic growth, Luanda, Angola has seen significant infrastructure development since 2010.

These include initiatives such as the "New Centralities" urban development project, expanding power generation capacity, and undertaking a large-scale road rehabilitation programme. Similar construction scenes can be seen across African skylines in countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.