CESA Warns of 'National Infrastructure Maintenance Crisis" ahead of SONA

Ahead of the State Of The Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) has warned that South Africa is facing a deepening national infrastructure maintenance crisis driven by years of under-investment, reactive asset management and a growing shortage of engineering skills

CESA president Dr Vishal Haripersad says the country’s infrastructure challenges are no longer abstract policy concerns, but are being felt daily by citizens, businesses and government alike. “What we are facing should be recognised for what it is: a national infrastructure maintenance crisis.”

While the government’s commitment to invest more than R1 trillion in public infrastructure over the next 3 years is welcomed, Haripersad cautions that funding alone will not reverse the decline unless long-standing structural issues are addressed. CESA Points to findings from the National Planning Commission, which show declining GDP per capita growth, unemployment at 33.9% (over 45% in the youth) and persistently low public and private investment levels. According to the commission’s report, these trends reflected job creation constraints, weak business confidence and infrastructure deficiencies.

The consequences of underinvestment are evident in the growing maintenance backlog across public infrastructure. Haripersad notes that many local and provincial authorities continue to manage assets reactively, responding only when systems fail. Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has estimated the maintenance backlog at R30 billion affecting more than 56,000 state-owned properties.

Nowhere is the crisis more visible than in the water sector. Earlier this year, parliament was told that R400 billion is required to rehabilitate South Africa’s water and sanitation systems. Harpipersad adds, “For many communities, the impact is already clear, not because water does not exist but because ageing infrastructure can no longer deliver it reliably.”

Recent flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, along with wildfires across several provinces, has further highlighted the consequences of a largely reactive approach to infrastructure risk. Hapipersad says that these events underscore an urgent need for proactive assessment, maintenance, and resilience, particularly in the context of climate change.

It is against this backdrop that Haripersad introduces the theme of his presidency, “If not engineers, then who? Reclaiming our purpose and securing our future.”Drawing from the principle of ‘Ubuntu’, he emphasises that engineering is not only a technical profession, but a shared responsibility grounded in accountability to society.

CESA highlighted South Africa’s severe engineering skills shortage with roughly one engineer for every 3,100 people, compared to significantly higher ratios in developed economies. This equates to a shortage of more than 60,000 engineering professionals. Hapripersad describes this as a failure not just of policy but of the collective will, calling for stronger investment in STEM education, mentorship and structured professional development.

The organisation also raised concerns about procurement systems that prioritise the lowest upfront cost over quality, longevity and social benefits. This “price-only” mentality, he warns, is dangerous to both infrastructure and communities, forcing professionals into unstable procurement cycles simply to remain operational.

CESA further stress the importance of integrity and governance in infrastructure delivery. Procurement-related corruption, weak oversight, and delays in enforcement continue to undermine public confidence and compromise outcomes. Haripersad says that restoring trust requires ethical conduct, transparency enforcement and improved site safety.

Finally, CESA calls for engineers to be meaningfully represented at decision-making tables across government and public institutions. “If we are serious about infrastructure delivery, governance and value for money, then engineers cannot remain on the margins, adds Hapipersad.

He concludes saying, “As a nation, we must decide whether we are ready to stand for accountability, build capability, deliver real value and uphold integrity. Our collective future depends on it.”