The Infrastructure Development Act, which was signed into law by President Jacob Zuma on 30 May 2014, has come into operation with effect from the first of this month.

The act has been put in place to facilitate and co-ordinate public infrastructure development, to ensure that infrastructure development is given priority, to promote the development goals of the state through infrastructure development, and to improve the management of infrastructure during all life-cycle phases.

It also establishes the coordination structures of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC). It will ensure that all three spheres of government are part of the PICC and that all the main executive authorities across the public sector are mandated to meet on a regular basis to drive implementation of infrastructure.

The Infrastructure Development Act provides for Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and makes way for the alignment and dedication of capabilities and resources for their effective implementation and operation across the state. It also mandates the establishment, appointment and functioning of steering committees to provide technical support and oversight as well as the appointment of relevant ministers to chair SIPs.

The act will also set timeframes for the approval of regulatory decisions affecting the implementation of infrastructure projects. Instead of sequential approval processes, it provides for processes to run concurrently wherever possible. This ensures that the state works to a common deadline and that this timeframe provides for public consultation processes.