Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma says government will work with the construction industry to ensure the state meets some of the country's infrastructure development needs by 2013.
"Between 2008 and 2013, major state owned entities will have spent over R846 billion on infrastructure alone. Working in partnership, we will ensure that this spending indeed achieves our objectives," Zuma said at a dinner hosted by SA Federation of Civil Engineering Constructors on Thursday night.
He said the recent World Cup did not mark the end of South Africa's infrastructure programme, rather a massive build up programme in energy, telecommunications and water infrastructure was underway.
The country's infrastructure programme has seen an initial investment of R420 billion since 2005.
Zuma said the next phase of growth in infrastructure investment must shorten the distances people travel and reduce the cost of transportation.
"Transport must bring services and economic opportunities closer to all our people. The infrastructure development programme must also benefit our broad-based black economic empowerment programme," he said.
Government was pleased that the number of medium size black-owned companies registered with the Construction Industry Development Board in Grades five to seven has more than doubled, from 540 in 2007 to 1600 in 2009.
Zuma said a detailed assessment of the World Cup would be completed by the end of September. From this review, he said, will emerge the lessons that will make South Africa implement new ways of doing things.
