SA’s professional associaton of civil engineers has issued a damning report on state-run infrastructure, saying it is not coping with demand and that it is likely that the public will be subjected to severe inconvenience and danger unless prompt acton is taken. The South African Insttute of Civil Engineers (SAICE) has found that, with a few notable exceptons, every segment of the work of the state is bedevilled by poor planning, a lack of skill and capacity, corrupton, neglect and poor maintenance.

It meant, said the insttute, that the infrastructure necessary to protect and enhance the health and safety of citzens was compromised and that they were in large part denied social mobility and access to economic opportunity. "Efcient water and sanitaton systems, for example, underpin modern increases in life expectancy," and "infrastructure is key to inclusive growth, as it facilitates broader partcipaton in the economy", according to the report.