The seventh administration has identified infrastructure development as a key catalyst for strategic and inclusive economic development, a pillar upon which we must transform the socioeconomic conditions of our people.
In the Eastern Cape, this commitment finds expression in our efforts to leverage the state’s capital portfolio to change the face of our beautiful province.
Within this context, the department of public works and infrastructure carries a key mandate as the co-ordinator and custodian of public infrastructure in the province.
Embedded in this responsibility is a fundamental imperative, to drive skills development as a foundation for sustainable growth.
To achieve this, the department has established skills development centres across the province.
These include centres in Maluti (Alfred Nzo District), Mthatha (OR Tambo District), Fort Beaufort (Amathole District), Zwelitsha (Buffalo City metro), Struandale (Nelson Mandela Bay metro), Steynsburg (Joe Gqabi District) and Sijongaphambili (Chris Hani District).
Collectively, these centres serve as incubators for artisanal skills development, empowering young people with the technical capabilities needed to meaningfully participate in the economy.
Building on this solid foundation, the department is now finalising the construction of the Makhanda Skills Development Centre in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, representing a total investment of R49m.
This centre stands to reinforce our commitment to massive infrastructure-led development and human capital advancement.
Notably, the department achieved a cost saving of R18.3m on the project by using the expertise of its internal professional capacity.
The project was executed through the efforts of three construction project managers, four architects, three quantity surveyors, three electrical engineers, and three mechanical engineers, all part of the department’s skilled workforce.
This demonstrates the value of strengthening internal capacity and reducing reliance on external consultants, ensuring that public funds are efficiently used to benefit our people.
Beyond the technical achievement, the construction of the Makhanda Skills Centre has also delivered tangible socioeconomic dividends.
The project created employment opportunities for local residents and ensured the participation of nine local SMMEs, with a combined investment of R3.4m.
This approach to local empowerment underscores our commitment to inclusive development and broad-based participation in the provincial economy.
The Makhanda Skills Development Centre embodies the very essence of the infrastructure-led development trajectory, where the building of public facilities goes hand-in-hand with the creation of skills, jobs and enterprise opportunities.
It is a living example of how the state can use infrastructure investment not only to deliver public assets, but also to catalyse skills-driven economic transformation.
The National Development Plan (NDP) denotes that our economy cannot grow sustainably unless we address the structural and systemic challenges of skills shortages, particularly in the technical and artisanal trades.
The construction, maintenance and infrastructure sectors are key drivers of daily economic activities, they depend substantially on artisans such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, bricklayers, welders and painters.
Without these skills, the foundation of our development ambitions may not yield the envisaged outcomes.
This is why our skills development centres play such a strategic role in producing a pipeline of qualified artisans who can sustain the department’s core function of public infrastructure maintenance and co-ordination.
Through this strategic investment, we are not only building centres of learning but also fortifying the human infrastructure that underpins service delivery and economic resilience.
The Eastern Cape public works department is therefore leveraging its internal capacity to position itself as the implementing agent of choice in the built environment sector.
By cultivating a workforce that combines technical competence with public service ethos, we are setting a new benchmark for infrastructure delivery, professional excellence, and intergovernmental collaboration.
The Makhanda Artisan Development Centre will soon stand as a symbol of progress and rapid skills development where government and communities converge to shape the future of our province.
It reflects a clear message that through infrastructure investment, skills development, and disciplined public management, we can build a province that works for all, building the Eastern Cape we want.
- Siphokazi Lusithi, MEC for public works, infrastructure and human settlements
- This piece was written with the assistance of AI
The Herald
