‘Disorganised’ SA missing out on the action

There is no shortage of
projects in Africa, but
South African companies
are seemingly oblivious of the
opportunities passing them by,
says Paul Runge, managing
director of Africa Project
Access.
“We are not working together
as business, as government or
as organisations to access these
projects and see real benefit for
our local companies.”
Runge, a specialist
consultant on African projects,
says the number of projects in
which the Chinese are involved
across the various sectors is
proof enough that the continent
is busy.
“There is huge competition
in Africa for the various
projects, with the Chinese
winning much of the work
because they are giving
offers that are impossible to
refuse. But the Portuguese,
the Brazilians, the Indians and
the Americans are all very
active in Africa,” he said. “The
variety of projects taking place
range from the power sector to
construction and mining.”
According to Runge
project cargo has been slow
in South Africa, but there is
much opportunity outside the
country’s borders.
“The Chinese for example
are involved in hydro plants
in Ethiopia, power supply
programmes in Gabon and
transmission lines in Kenya.
They are building a new
tramway system in Ethiopia,
and roads in Malawi, Kenya,
Mauritania and Zambia.
They are working on a railway
system in the DRC and in
the deepwater port being
erected in Cameroon.”
He said other projects
included the modernisation of
the airports in Kenya, a new
terminal in Mauritius and work
at the Khartoum International
Airport in Sudan.
“There is also the Cameroon
fibre optic network that is
being set up, the handset
manufacturing plant being
built in Nigeria, and a new
aluminium refinery going up in
Ghana.”
According to Runge there
are many projects currently
related to the mining sector
ranging from the Copperbelt in
Zambia to the cement plants in
Mozambique.
“South Africa however has
to get closer to the action and
that means identifying projects
sooner and working more
closely with organisations such
as the Development Bank of
Southern Africa. To really be
part of the project action we
must acquire an organised
approach involving all roleplayers
– and that includes
government.