South Africa—Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Program (IDIP)

Following a 2001 review of provincial service delivery systems and realizing the challenges related to the planning and management of public sector infrastructure delivery, the South African government introduced the Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Programme (IDIP), a capacity-building program designed to enhance infrastructure delivery. DAI was involved in the design and initial implementation of the program.

Managed by the National Treasury, provincial departments receive support to develop their capacity to plan, manage, and sustain infrastructure delivery. Now in its third phase, the program has slowly been shifted to provinces in order to improve capacity at that level. The provision of good quality health and education remain key priorities for government and expanded infrastructure is central to addressing the challenges in these priority areas.

Schools and hospitals are faced with persistent backlogs of critical infrastructure restraining service delivery. DAI is providing technical assistance to the Free State Provincial Departments of Health and Education as well as the Northern Cape Provincial Department of Education. Deployed in the infrastructure units, the technical assistants are offering strategic advice to strengthen the capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver health and school infrastructure.

Sample Activities

• Develop a Provincial Education Prioritisation System.
• Strengthen constructive relationships between the national and provincial departments.
• Ensure a sustainable implementation of the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS).
• Help strengthen the capacity of the provincial departments on infrastructure delivery.

Select Results

• In its first phase, IDIP formalized structures to manage and monitor infrastructure delivery; established an integrated provincial planning function for education and health infrastructure; and instituted monitoring and control systems.