Projects in Progress 2013 (Second Edition)

Creamer Media’s second Projects in Progress supplement for 2013 considers some of the major project developments under way, including high-profile energy and transport projects, as well as a few of the lower-profile public and private developments. What remains apparent is that the private-sector pipeline for projects remains especially weak, owing to poor levels of investor confidence. Nevertheless, project activity is continuing across most of the mining subsectors and in some pockets of industry. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan hit the nail on the head recently when he stressed the need for higher levels of investment into export-oriented projects. Indeed, the expenditure to expand South Africa’s economic infrastructure will not yield the expected growth and development returns, unless it serves to crowd in the productive investments required to make those new assets sweat. It is a disconnect that has to be addressed with some urgency, argues Creamer Media's publishing editor Martin Creamer.