Over the coming three years, some R845-billion has been budgeted for public infrastructure projects and the PICC, which is chaired by President Jacob Zuma, has been established to support the delivery of the projects.

Details of the 17 Sips were not immediately available, but it was likely that the five geographically focused projects listed by Zuma during his State of the Nation address would be included.

Among the projects listed was a plan to develop and integrate rail, road and water infrastructure, centred around the Waterberg and Steelpoort areas of Limpopo, to unlock coal, platinum, palladium, chrome and other minerals, as well as the stepped-up beneficiation of minerals.

There would also be initiatives to improve the movement of goods through the Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial corridor by prioritising a range of rail and port improvements, supported significantly by a R300-billion investment programme by Transnet over the coming seven years.

A new ‘South Eastern node’ was also being planned for the Eastern Cape to bolster that province’s industrial and agricultural development and export capacity. Initiatives within the node would include logistics linkages with the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, the construction of a dam on the Umzimvubu river to support farming and the Mthatha revitalisation project. It would also embrace a new 16-million-ton-a-year manganese export channel through the Port of Ngqura.

An initiative was also outlined for the roll-out of water, roads, rail and electricity infrastructure in the North West, including the upgrade of ten priority roads.

A range of projects was also planned for the West Coast, including the expansion of the Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore corridor to above 80-million tons.

The Budget Review also lists Eskom’s power generation projects, the renewable energy independent power producer programme, the private open-cycle gas-turbine initiative, as well as plans to beef up the power transmission and distributions networks.

Transnet rail and port projects were also highlighted, along with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s plan to acquire new rolling stock over the coming 20 years.

Several roads, water, housing and telecommunications projects were also listed in the review.

Government promised that all public-sector infrastructure projects would be subjected to rigorous feasibility assessments and that the most cost-effective projects would be pursued.

Speaking at the launch of the Dube TradePort project in Durban on Thursday, Zuma said government had “decided to invest in infrastructure in an unprecedented manner”.

“To be able to build dams, power stations, bridges, roads, viable ports and railway lines and even new cities and towns, we need a single-minded approach towards a seamless infrastructure development programme over at least 20 to 30 years,” he said.