The annual Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) is set to get underway in Cape Town in August, with billions of rands in key infrastructure programmes under discussion.

The fifth edition of the impactful SIDSSA symposium will bring together African Government Ministers, mayors, development partners, and private sector and technical experts to assess national infrastructure progress and propel several key infrastructure development programmes forward.

Event host Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) reports that SIDSSA will reflect on Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) implementation, ISA project preparation work, regulatory reforms and the Adopt-a-Municipality pilot programme.

Nombulelo Nyathela, ISA Chief Director: External Relations and Communications, says SIDSSA is a significant event for infrastructure development progress in South Africa. “In 2025, over 1,100 high-profile delegates from 29 countries assembled for SIDSSA, where we backed 7 priority projects for project preparation” she says.

Nyathela emphasizes that monitoring SIPs is essential for supporting South Africa’s economic growth and service delivery.

“ISA, in partnership with National Treasury’s ITAF, is working to enhance SIP development, prioritisation, and oversight through standardised mapping, a consolidated project database, and regular stakeholder engagement. The initiative includes creating a SIP Readiness Index and digital dashboard to boost transparency, identify risks early, and promote private sector involvement and blended finance. These efforts aim to improve infrastructure planning, budgeting, investment decisions, and accelerate priority projects, with completion set for December 2026,” she says.

During the 2025/26 financial year, three major transport projects along the N3 corridor in KwaZulu-Natal, valued at R6.77 billion, were completed between Cato Ridge and Ashburton. Significant progress was also achieved in the energy sector through targeted regulatory support, with the Red Rocket Tournee Solar Park (R6 billion), Ummbila Emoyeni III Windfarm (R4.5 billion), and Red Sands Battery Energy Storage System (R4 billion) reaching financial and commercial close. In water and sanitation, the Olifants Management Model Programme in Limpopo also reached commercial close.

“These achievements reflect ISA’s role in resolving regulatory and approval bottlenecks to accelerate infrastructure delivery,” Nyathela says.

SIDSSA 2026: Addressing municipal infrastructure

Nyathela says SIDSSA 2026, themed, ‘Shaping the Future of Municipal Infrastructure’, will have a strong focus on strengthening municipal systems for improved service delivery through initiatives such as ISA’s Adopt-A-Municipality pilot programme.

“This programme is aimed at strengthening infrastructure planning, preparation and delivery capacity within municipalities facing persistent technical and institutional constraints. Since the launch of the Adopt-A-Municipality pilot programme in 2025, ISA has identified 28 projects across the energy, water and sanitation, and waste management sectors, with an estimated investment value of R7 billion. Six projects have already advanced from pre-feasibility to feasibility stage, supported by project preparation work and investor-ready business cases,” she notes.

Strategic partners, including the FCDO and ITAF, are also providing technical assistance and PPP capacity building to strengthen municipal implementation capability and support the delivery of innovative infrastructure solutions that will drive inclusive growth and job creation through the programme.

New Construction Book release

A highlight of SIDSSA will be the release of the 3rd edition of the Construction Book – an inventory of hundreds of billions of rands in funded construction-ready projects across the three spheres of government. This publication provides a detailed list of procurement-ready and financially secured infrastructure projects in South Africa, enabling the construction sector and suppliers to anticipate demand for local materials, components, and services.

Dean Macpherson, the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, has described the Construction Book as a ‘landmark publication compiled by ISA, and a signal to investors that this government is coordinated and ready to deliver’.

Priority pipeline for Project Preparation

SIDSSA will also announce the new priority infrastructure initiatives for project preparation stemming out of the Bid Window 2 for project preparation process. Through the Bid Window, Projects are assessed against clear criteria, ensuring that project development support is focused on projects with a realistic pathway to financial close and construction.

Currently, 20 projects are in the project preparation pipeline with an estimated capital investment value of R286 billion, Nyathela says.

A Continental Outlook: The Leaders forum

The SIDSSA will host the 3rd Leaders Forum. The Leaders Forum constitutes a high-level segment of the Symposium, designed to foster candid dialogue among political principals on the most pressing infrastructure and development challenges facing the African continent. The Forum serves as a platform for Strategic Alignment: Harmonising national and continental infrastructure priorities, political accountability: Providing visibility and support for infrastructure delivery, Regional Integration: Advancing cross-border collaboration and Investment Mobilisation: Unlocking investment through regulatory reform and project preparation.

In attendance at the leaders forum will be Infrastructure Ministers from the continent, Ministers and Deputy Ministers from South Africa with infrastructure, trade and policy mandates, Premiers, MEC’s, Mayors across the country and Mayors from the Continent.

To learn more about SIDSSA, visit: https://sidssa.org.za/