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Presentation of South African Experience to HPEC 

Organized by: 

- National Institute of Urban Affairs

Date: 1 July 2009

NIUA, New Delhi

Mr. Richard Marwood, Development Bank of South Africa, made a presentation on urban infrastructure investment in South Africa to the High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) chaired by Dr. Isher Ahluwalia on July 1, 2009. The presentation had three parts – understanding the context, modeling investment requirements, and dealing with the results. The Government of South Africa plans to strengthen cities as engines of growth. Various financial models have been developed that give the Government options for decision making. However, these are dependent on the availability of a good database.

Themes of the South African urban approach are:

(a) emphasis on viable local government;

(b) transfer of powers and functions to metropolis, local bodies and district councils;

(c) dedicated capacity building and reform program;

(d) consolidated grants linked to integrated development plan and making grants predictable;

(e) sustainability of services and target of services for poor;

(f) market-based financing.

The meeting was facilitated by the World Bank. The HPEC members had extensive discussions with the team . Ring-fencing was an area of keen interest to the Committee.