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INSIGHT: Brazil offers lessons for policymakers on optimizing infrastructure investments.

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As countries grow, they need better transportation, energy, and communications networks. But how should a country go about prioritizing these investments? Are there synergies from coordinating them? Should they be done simultaneously or sequentially? Two recent World Bank studies focusing on Brazil, a country that has rolled out massive infrastructure investments over the past decades address these questions. Economists tell us that infrastructure is key to development. Not only is infrastructure crucial for people to go about their daily lives, but it also has major impacts on productivity (think, e.g., electrification of production) and access to markets (through faster and cheaper transportation of goods). Even more importantly, infrastructure investments are needed for countries to transition from agrarian to more diversified industrial and service-oriented economies, offering more economic opportunities to improve living standards and reduce poverty. 3 KEY POLICY INSIGHTS FROM BRA
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PROFILE : My career-defining project.

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Senior Quantity Surveyor David Rathepe share his story about a project that brought him a sense of accomplishment and filfilment.


During my career, the Isibonelo Bunker project stands out as a significant accomplishment. As the Site Quantity Surveyor, I was part of a team that successfully initiated a claim on a lump sum project. The client had changed the structure's position, and we proposed a cost-to-completion exercise to determine savings and additional costs. The final cost exceeded the original amount, resulting in a successful payment. However, it's crucial to note that our claim was solely based on the structure's repositioning.

The project highlighted the challenge of obtaining additional funds beyond the accepted offer due to the fixed-sum contract. Despite this, our negotiation skills enabled us to secure extra payment. The valuable lesson I learned aligns with the quote by Nelson Mandela, "It always seems impossible until it's done."

One regret I have is the lack of proper communication records between the contractor and client. Maintaining detailed notification records and site diaries could have resulted in a higher payment. However, our good working relationship with the client allowed us to overcome this challenge and secure payment for some of the completed items without proper documentation.

The most rewarding aspect of the project was the opportunity to contribute commercially to its success. Seeing the project function as designed and meeting expectations brought a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.


David Rathepe possesses a Bachelor of Technology degree in Quantity Surveying. He has over 25 years of professional experience as a Senior Construction Quantity Surveyor, specializing in Civil Engineering Projects.

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