Projects to Progress: Infrastructure takes centre stage at DEVAC 2026

The DEVAC Infrastructure Summit highlighted the urgent need to move infrastructure projects from planning to implementation, with speakers emphasising financing, execution capacity and public-private collaboration

- By Thokozile Mnguni

The 2026 DEVAC Infrastructure Summit, held in partnership with the Mail & Guardian on 27 and 28 May, convened global and local leaders at the Protea Hotel, Johannesburg.

The conference tackled critical infrastructure problems, focusing on strategic solutions to ensure projects are delivered on schedule and within budget.

Discussions emphasised a strategic shift from simply announcing infrastructure projects to driving them towards active implementation, operational stability and the tangible delivery of reliable services that enhance economic productivity and the daily lives of people.

Furthermore, this annual strategic meeting unites African government officials, industry leaders, infrastructure investors and technical experts to collaborate on actionable, solution-driven execution.

Centred on the theme ‘Africa’s Infrastructure in Motion - From Projects to Progress’, this initiative directly addresses one of the continent’s most critical problems and significant opportunities.

It was highlighted during dialogue sessions that Africa does not suffer from a shortage of infrastructure plans, but the greater challenge lies in project preparation, financing, implementation capacity and long-term sustainability.

In his keynote address, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo emphasised that infrastructure remains a vital catalyst for driving industrialisation, advancing regional integration, stimulating investment and unlocking economic growth.

Mahlobo said no modern economy can function efficiently without reliable infrastructure. He pointed out that roads, rail networks, ports, energy systems, digital connectivity, water infrastructure and sanitation systems form the productive backbone of every society because they enable mining, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, housing development, tourism and trade, creating conditions for investment certainty.