President Thabo Mbeki said last week that government's capacity not to spend allocated budgets was 'worrying'.

Speaking at the Inter-governmental Infrastructure Summit last week, President Mbeki said under spending impeded service delivery and more over stalled infrastructure development.

He said although there were supplementary budgets allocated, about R2-billion had not been spent.

He attributed this scenario to lack of capacity at municipal level, a phenomenon that is evident as he, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Nquka and Cabinet hold municipal izimbizo around the country.

“There is a need for a very practical approach in order to make sure that we do not sustain infrastructure shortfalls such as the railway system and ports which so far have not kept pace with the growing economy,” says President Mbeki.

He added that the outcomes of the summit should identify and address the bottlenecks and causes of under spending.

The outcomes would also be taken to national government to make sure that the planning process fitted well with the resolutions.

“There should be progress beyond philosophy to make sure that capacity to deliver is there to overcome obstacles,” he said.

President Mbeki said government had instituted measures to develop the country's infrastructure.

“The Department of Public Enterprise and Transnet joined forces on an investment programme to increase infrastructure capacity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe who earlier addressed the summit said rural and remote areas in the country bore the brunt of infrastructure backlogs.

Some of the challenges facing the rural communities, said Mr Radebe, included halving the number of people who lived two kilometres away from all modes of transport.

The minister said by developing transport infrastructure such as tarred roads and safe trains, South Africans in remote areas would have access to medical facilities during emergencies.

“We need also to halve road accidents, end the use of leaded petrol and dismantle physical and non-physical transport barriers,” he said.These backlogs should be addressed by 2015.

- BuaNews