December 4, 2006
By Neil Fraser
AN article on infra-investment in a recent Special Report by the Urban Land Institute states: "Infrastructure is the backbone of the global economy - and what supports its growth. Countries depend on it to move people and goods expeditiously, efficiently and safely".
"But many countries have not been able to build and maintain roads, highways, freeways, tunnels, bridges, levees, airports, ports and other infrastructure to keep pace with population and economic growth. The problem is especially acute in developing countries, which a September 2005 World Bank report said ‘now face the challenge of correcting for huge infrastructure gaps that threaten growth and the achievement of social and other broader development goals.'"
Even more recently the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (Saice) has published The Saice Infrastructure Report Card for South Africa 2006, the first report of its kind to be produced in South Africa. The report commends the ambitious plans of the government after the 1994 democratic elections to address previous inequalities through such projects as providing potable water to 15 million people previously not served by formal infrastructure.
However, it goes on to point out that "once the infrastructure is built and commissioned, it needs to be looked after. After it has been built, people and governments appear to take notice of infrastructure only when it fails."
Over the past few years in particular, we in Joburg have become acutely aware of the effects of little to no investment over many years in new and maintenance of old infrastructure. Electrical "outages", traffic lights in a constant state of denial, constant traffic congestion, over-utilisation of highways by heavy transport because of the inability of the country's rail service to deliver and so on - the list is endless.
The Saice report reflects only two "B" marks - the highest grade reflected - for airports and "heavy haul freight lines", respectively. The latter refers to our iron ore and coal lines; passenger lines get a D+ ,which I think is generous. It provides an overall grade of D+ for South Africa's built environment infrastructure. "It is very good, even world class in parts. The relatively poor overall grade reflects extensive maintenance and refurbishment backlogs. These backlogs are caused primarily by funding and skills shortages."
I wonder if that statement is altogether accurate - skills, yes, but funding? We have, in the past year alone, seen the government confirm funding for Gautrain of more than R20-billion and billions of rand being pulled out of the hat to fund 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup needs. Why does it take a 2010 event to force us into infrastructure spend?
I think it is just incredibly bad planning and a disregard for basic economics. In the United States, a congressional committee, while acknowledging that the country needs about $100-billion (about R730-billion) a year for new infrastructure and maintenance of existing infrastructure, says that "underinvestment in transportation and infrastructure needs is penny-wise and pound-foolish".
The inner city's basic infrastructure needs a complete overhaul. Our pavements are generally in a disgusting state - look at what the Braamfontein upgrade has done for that area; our lighting is extremely poor and can only promote criminal activity; although a number of taxi ranks have been built they are too few; and as for informal trading …
Well, hopefully such issues and many more will be fast-forwarded on to the agenda for the Inner City Summit.
Joburg Inner City Summit
Over the past few months I have expressed concern that our urban regeneration process appears to be running out of steam. In fact, some recent figures I have been researching clearly show that the rate of investment in the inner city declined in 2006 compared to 2005 and the years immediately prior to 2005.
So I was delighted at the announcement by Executive Mayor Amos Masondo on 13 November of a programme and process "to refocus and re-energise interventions and initiatives around the regeneration of the inner city". But what exactly does this mean?
Well, the process adopted will lead to an Inner City Summit to be held on 5 May 2007, at which it is planned that a charter will be signed by Masondo and the private sector. I referred to such a charter in Citichat 38.
The idea is to develop a blueprint to guide and prioritise future interventions and investments in the inner city and a benchmark of the City's commitments, roles and responsibilities with regards to regeneration.
The process calls for:
- A critical review of the processes and procedures that have guided inner city regeneration since 1996, the factual outcomes of the processes and an evaluation of successes and failures and the reasons for these;
- Developing a status quo report - where are we at this point in time;
- What interventions are planned for the next few years and what are the constraints to accelerate regeneration from this point on;
- A spatial design process that will ultimately, immediately after the summit, be turned into a new spatial design framework for the inner city; and
- A series of workshops over the next few months focusing on a number of sectors, including:
- Safety, security and urban management;
- Public spaces and places;
- Social infrastructure;
- Public arts, culture and urban heritage;
- Economic infrastructure;
- Residential development; and
- Transportation.
Each of the workshops will be led by the heads of the corresponding council departments that have already been developing schedules of issues for discussion and agreement. Private sector issues will be added and the whole costed, prioritised and negotiated as to funding, responsibility, implementation, and s forth so that commitments from both public and private sectors can be captured in the charter.
This is a great opportunity to set practical goals for implementation by 2010 and beyond. It is also a great opportunity to raise those issues you have been sitting on - "If only the City would do X" or "If only the City would not do Y." So let's hear your dreams and frustrations. Urban Inc is the lead consultant for the process so drop me a line at neil@urbaninc.co.za and I'll see that everything is considered. I'm working through this year so anytime you want to drop me a line is good.
Although I'm working through the holidays, I am taking a break from Citichat, so this is the 44th and last issue for 2006. Have a wonderful, blessed and restful end-of-year and may 2007 be a great year for you and yours (and for Joeys).
Ciao, Neil
Last reminder of tours.
The Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust programme:
Saturday, 2 December: Walking tour of Constitution Hill - the tour will meet at 2pm in the parking area below the court (on Sam Hancock Street, off Queens Road).The cost is R70 per person and tickets are available at Computicket.
Saturday, 9 December: Walking tour "Art Deco in the City" - the tour will meet at 2pm in Beyers Naude Square, next to the Cenotaph. Park in the Library Gardens parking garage; the entrance is off President and Simmonds streets. The cost is R70 per person and tickets are available at Computicket.
Saturday, 16 December: Walking tour of Main Street Mall - the tour will meet at 2pm in Beyers Naude Square, next to the Cenotaph. Park in the Library Gardens parking garage; the entrance is off President and Simmonds streets. The cost is R70 per person and tickets are available at Computicket.
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