Multi-Party Charter presents its solutions to infrastructure woes

The Multi-Party Charter (MPC) on Wednesday unveiled its plans to address the country’s service delivery problems, with a focus on infrastructure, including using the private sector's financial support, expertise and innovation.

The 11 parties under the charter presented a plan to deliver basic services for South Africa “through quality infrastructure” in Umkomaas, south of Durban. 

They cited government’s underspending on infrastructure, its neglect of critical road and rail networks, the decline of ports, and the collapse of essential water and sanitation infrastructure as the direct factors affecting basic services.

The bloc, made up of opposition parties such as the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, the ACDP and others, hope their collective electoral share will clear a path for a takeover from the ANC government in the May general elections. 

The DA’s John Steenhuisen said South Africa’s infrastructure was at a critical juncture. 

“We believe basic services are underpinned by quality public infrastructure that is essential for social and economic wellbeing. We have chosen to unveil our plan here today near the Umkomaas bridge because it clearly demonstrates the consequences of bad government and a government that fails to maintain and invest in public infrastructure.”

The nearby road collapsed two years ago and is yet to be fixed.

Steenhuisen said reversing the rapid infrastructure decline will require swift and concerted effort, adequate financial resources, transparent leadership and a plan.

Presenting the 20-point plan, the ACDP's Cherrel Jacobs said the charter “will prevent breakdowns and expand the lifespan of infrastructure and equipment by leveraging smart maintenance strategies”.

The IFP's Velenkosini Hlabisa presented the plan to fix damaged water infrastructure. 

“This community sometimes spends 80 days without water under the ruling party, because of inadequate maintenance of water infrastructure, corrupt tender awards and deployment of individuals without the skills to solve the problems.

“This has resulted in millions of litres lost because of water leaks that are not attended to as a result of poor government performance,” he said. 

Hlabisa said the charter will implement an effect-based method (EBM) for water quality testing, to revise water consumption practices for bulk water users like schools, hospitals, laundry facilities and large-use buildings and to institute smaller-scale water treatment solutions that are applied directly to facilities.

He called for decentralised solutions for water reuse and recycling, the expansion of groundwater extraction, modernising, upgrading and expanding port infrastructure while embracing smart infrastructure and digitisation.

Heloise Denner of the FF Plus said strengthening maritime services through a working port would improve economic growth.

“The charter will optimise vessel disembarking schedules and cargo handling, propose a long-term strategy for the management and improvement of the road networks, and introduce asset management standards and plans for preservation, maintenance and management of transport infrastructure,” she said.

Zukile Luyenge of the Independent South African National Civic Organisation (Isanco) said the charter would develop a long-term strategy for the management and improvement of South Africa's road network.

“We will reintroduce rail lines, transfer responsibility for rail infrastructure to the ministry of transport, devolve rail service management to competent provincial governments and metros, enhance the protection of the railway network from infrastructure vandalism and deploy increased CCTV equipment for continuous monitoring from a central control centre,” he said.

Action SA's Zwakele Mncwango highlighted the maintenance of rail infrastructure and protection of rail infrastructure against criminality. 

“We will enforce stringent copper theft reduction targets at parastatals and foster close collaboration and information sharing between law enforcement agencies and metal recyclers.

“We will map out the infrastructure vulnerable hotspots to help law enforcement in allocating security personnel efficiently and affectively,” he said. 

While the individual parties within the charter are campaigning with their own distinct policies, the bloc has assured voters that their individual uniqueness will not hinder the implementation of their plans, should they govern.