Milnerton, Cape Town – 25 May 2025
In the lead-up to the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) 2025, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, and Deputy Minister Sabelo Silinga led a high-level delegation to the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works—a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) under the Infrastructure Development Act.
Joined by MECs, senior government officials, and international counterparts from Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Uganda, the visit highlighted South Africa’s progress in delivering strategic, high-impact infrastructure that responds to both economic and social development imperatives.
The R5.2 billion upgrade to the facility, located in Milnerton and spearheaded by the City of Cape Town, is set to become South Africa’s largest wastewater treatment plant upon completion. The project is not only running ahead of schedule and on budget, but also exemplifies the type of collaboration and delivery focus championed by Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) and SIDSSA.
“Over R600 million has now been committed to prepare strategic infrastructure projects, from basic services to catalytic energy and water investments,” Minister Macpherson noted, affirming government’s commitment to accelerating infrastructure readiness.
The visit also served as a platform to showcase best practices in infrastructure planning and execution. As a SIP, the Potsdam project benefits from ISA’s role in expediting project approvals, coordinating across stakeholders, and cutting red tape that often slows infrastructure roll-out.
Minister Macpherson commended the City of Cape Town for its efficiency and project discipline, saying:
“This is a clear example of infrastructure that grows the economy and delivers tangible results.”
