The Case for Public-Private Partnerships in South Africa: Is South Africa Ready?

South Africa’s National Infrastructure Plan 2050 indicates an intention to augment the financial capacity and technical expertise of South Africa’s delivery agencies by engaging in strategic partnerships with the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs). The objective of this paper is to identify, measure and critically consider the critical success factors in the South African context necessary for the effective delivery of PPPs. Empirical data collection involved a triangulated case study analysis, a survey to measure contextual factors and in-depth interviews with local infrastructure specialists to review causes and consider solutions. Key findings include a need for PPP capacity building and addressing the lack of political will within the public sector while shifting towards a programmatic procurement and delivery model for infrastructure projects.