• Significant Progress in Reforms: South Africa’s Operation Vulindlela has successfully completed one-third of its priority reforms in Q1 2023. The initiative focuses on 35 key reforms aimed at stimulating economic growth and job creation.
• Completed and Ongoing Reforms: Among the completed reforms are the re-engineering of the water-use license application process, enabling municipalities to procure power from independent power producers, and streamlining the process for wayleave approvals. New areas of focus include creating an enabling environment for hemp and cannabis, developing a strategy for the devolution of passenger rail, and addressing the backlog in title deeds for subsidised housing.
• Future Developments: Looking ahead to Q2 2023, key developments to watch for include the finalisation of the raw water pricing strategy, the establishment of private sector partnerships at key ports, and the release of revised Immigration Regulations. Remedial actions are being taken for reforms that are off track, including the establishment of a National Logistics Crisis Committee to address issues in the rail network and ports.

South Africa’s ambitious reform initiative, Operation Vulindlela, has successfully completed one-third of its priority reforms in the first quarter of 2023, according to the 2023/24 Q1 Report. The initiative, a joint venture of the Presidency and National Treasury, has been instrumental in implementing structural reforms aimed at stimulating economic growth and job creation.

Since its inception in October 2020, Operation Vulindlela has been focused on accelerating the implementation of 35 priority reforms. These reforms span across key sectors such as energy, logistics, digital communications, and housing, and are identified for their potential to significantly impact economic growth.

The Q1 report reveals that eleven of these reforms have been completed, while another 14 are on track or progressing well. This means that over half of the Operation Vulindlela reforms are now either completed or on track to be completed within the next 12 months.

Among the completed reforms are the re-engineering of the water-use license application process, regulatory changes to enable municipalities to procure power from independent power producers, and streamlining the process for wayleave approvals. The report also highlights the gazetting of the rapid deployment policy and policy direction as a significant achievement.

The initiative has also made strides in new areas identified since its launch. These include creating an enabling environment for hemp and cannabis, developing a strategy for the devolution of passenger rail, enabling State-Owned Enterprises to procure efficiently, and addressing the backlog in title deeds for subsidised housing.

Despite the progress, some reforms are facing challenges. To address these, the President has directed the establishment of a National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) to focus on issues in the rail network and ports.

Looking ahead to Q2 2023, the report outlines several key developments to watch for. These include the finalisation of the raw water pricing strategy, the establishment of private sector partnerships at the Ports of Durban and Ngqura, and the release of revised Immigration Regulations.

The progress made by Operation Vulindlela in Q1 2023 signals a strong commitment to driving structural reforms that will bolster South Africa’s economy. With a focus on key sectors and a clear roadmap, the initiative is set to make a significant impact on the country’s economic landscape.