INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PROJECT
May 2000
In November 1998, the Development Chamber of Nedlac contracted
researchers to undertake a project on infrastructure delivery. The
project had three phases:
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The first phase identified the extent of government's
infrastructure expenditure.
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The second phase of the project focused on the organisation of
infrastructure delivery. This analysis identified strengths and
weaknesses within processes of infrastructure delivery.
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The third phase of the project was a 2600 household survey in
the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Province.
The survey assessed the extent of delivery as well as recipients'
perceptions of the quality of infrastructure delivery.
Key findings from the report show that:
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60% of low-income households and households in informal
settlements were aware of the Department of Housing's subsidy
scheme. This indicates the government's success in communicating
with large numbers of the population about their new rights.
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A majority of people living in informal settlements felt that
health care services had improved over the last 5-year period.
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The majority of households reported that telephone, electricity
and refuse removal services all worked consistently.
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While the majority of respondents rated the service received
from medical doctors as being good, those who attended government
hospital and clinics were less likely to rate the service received
as good. Almost a quarter of households reported a shortage of
learning material in their children's schools
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17% of people in the survey went hungry at least once a week.
Indeed a mere 19% of people living in informal settlements said
that they never go hungry.
The report argues that complicated tender procedures, inadequate
integration of service delivery and capacity limits in both the
public and private sector weaken effective service delivery.
An abbreviated hardcopy version can be requested from Nedlac.
The survey data set is available in SPSS format on request from
Omano Edigheji (omano@nedlac.org.za). All requests should be
accompanied by your name, institutional details as well as what you
intend to use the data for.
Download the report FAFO Infrastructure Report (This file is in PDF
Format and 693 Kb).
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