Construction World January 2023

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SAICE’S2022 INFRASTRUCTURE REPORTCARD

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) launched its much-anticipated 2022 Infrastructure Report Card (IRC) on Friday, 11 November. It reflects an expert view of the institution’s reporting on the current condition of a broad range of public infrastructure. The 2022 IRC is the fourth report released by the SAICE and rates the overall condition of South Africa’s infrastructure as a D, the lowest rating since the first IRC launched in 2006.

the portfolio. Our comments also touch upon the impact of global warming and other environmental factors on infrastructure.” The scorecard in summary The scorecard is based on a simple five-point scale - A (world-class), B (fit for the future), C (satisfactory for now), D (at risk of failure), and E (unfit-for-purpose) and features a snapshot of the current condition and performance of 32 subsectors of infrastructure. These include gradings for: Water: The quality and reliability of water supply has decreased in small towns and rural systems. In contrast, the national water resources infrastructure system has been able to meet the demands for which it was designed. • Bulk water resources: D- • Major urban areas: C+ • All other areas: D Sanitation: (including wastewater) - 16% of households still need improved sanitation. • Major urban areas: C- • All other areas: E Solid waste management: A slight reduction in the provision of refuse removal services in urban areas. In rural areas, there is a significant increase in indiscriminate dumping. • Waste collection in the major urban areas: C- • Waste collection in other areas: D- • Waste disposal in metros: C- • Waste disposal in other areas: D Roads: The consequences of the widespread underfunding of road maintenance and improvement is cause for great concern. • National roads: B+ • Paved provincial roads: D

“We also aim to stimulate debate on the condition of South Africa’s infrastructure and its effect on the quality of life and the economy.”

2023 SAICE President-Elect, Steven Kaplan.

2 023 SAICE President-Elect, Steven Kaplan, explains that the overall goal of the IRC is to increase awareness and influence change for the better. “We aim to also stimulate debate on the condition of South Africa’s infrastructure and its effect on the quality of life and the economy.” The IRC team, led by Convenor Sam Amod and Research Leader Dr Kevin Wall, analysed large volumes of detailed information, and followed a rigorous process in preparing the IRC. However, being a condition and performance assessment, the IRC does not prescribe remedies to the findings. Both Amod and Dr. Wall explain that in each IRC, SAICE has progressively widened the scope of its scrutiny. “In this report we introduce fire engineering, information and communication technology (ICT), oil and gas pipelines, and coastal infrastructure, and reintroduce fishing harbours to

• Paved roads in the major urban areas: D • Other municipalities’ paved roads: D- • Provincial and municipal unpaved roads: E

Airports: The impact of Covid-19 on ACSA and aviation has been severe, leading to significant financial and human resource losses. While aircraft and passenger safety were not compromised during this time, renewal and maintenance were. • ACSA-owned facilities: B

Ports: Well-developed standards and regulations govern infrastructure condition assessments and the maintenance,

12 CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2023