By BAKANG MOKOTO
8 April 2026 – The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson has welcomed Infrastructure South Africa’s contribution to the successful hosting of the South African Investment Conference in Sandton last Tuesday. Macpherson also welcomed its role in helping to unlock a $1 billion investment pledge by global agricultural company UPL, announced at the conference.
He further said the investment amounting to approximately R17 billion and led by UPL Chairman and Group CEO Jai Shroff, is linked to a large-scale bioethanol production facility in South Africa. Macpherson said the project will utilise sugarcane and maize as a feedstock and support the development of an integrated agricultural and energy value chain.
“Infrastructure South Africa, an entity of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, played a key facilitative role in advancing the project by bringing together stakeholders across the agricultural, energy and financial sectors.
“This included supporting engagements between UPL and a major development finance institution to explore project
preparation and financing opportunities, as well as broader collaboration to move the project towards implementation,” he said.
Macpherson further said the project has significant potential, including the cultivation of approximately 400 000 hectares of sweet sorghum and the production of up to 1.3 billion litres of bioethanol annually. He added that this will inject significant amounts of money directly back to small- and large-scale farmers.
“This positions South Africa as a potential leader in the biofuels sector, while supporting rural development and job creation. Infrastructure South Africa is playing an increasingly important role in unlocking investment by removing bottlenecks, coordinating stakeholders, and supporting project preparation.
“When I was appointed Public Works and Infrastructure Minister 21 months ago, I committed to turning the department into the economic delivery unit of South Africa to help grow the economy and create much-needed jobs,” said Macpherson.
He said the $1 billion investment, facilitated by Infrastructure South Africa, is clear evidence of the progress they are making in achieving that goal. Macpherson said this investment demonstrates what is possible when the government plays an active role in facilitating partnerships, removing obstacles, and aligning stakeholders behind a common objective.
“It also highlights the growing importance of Infrastructure South Africa in ensuring that projects of this scale move from concept to implementation as we work to build a better South Africa,” he said.
The Guardian 