LESSONS LEARNT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The levels of unemployment and poverty are extremely high and two of South Africa's most pressing problems. There is also a widely acknowledged need for housing and municipal infrastructure (water supply, sewerage, streets, storm water drainage, and electricity, refuse collection). From a theoretical perspective supported by experience elsewhere in Africa, there are reasons for considering that properly formulated employment creation programmes based on the use of labour-intensive methods could be established to construct and maintain the required physical infrastructure, thus creating employment, skills and institutional capacities. Over the past 30 years several projects have been initiated in South Africa to counter unemployment and poverty. Given the socio-economic conditions and political objectives (regarding development, employment creation and alleviation of poverty), it is anticipated that future large-scale construction projects will be proposed by the public sector (National, Provincial and Local Government). The paper will first examine the main tenets of the implementation of development projects through the use of labour-intensive construction and a description of progress elsewhere in Africa and their potential contribution which public works programmes could make to alleviate the poverty and unemployment problems. The research will then analyse the successes and challenges that have been experienced in South Africa in relation to the implementation of development projects over the past 30 years. The paper closes with recommendations and lessons for the future.