The Development Bank of Southern Africa is succeeding in its goal to intensify broad-based development in southern Africa. This is evident in the annual results released on 30 August 2007.
 
In the financial year to March 2006, the Bank approved 163 projects to the value of R8,3 billion (R8,1 billion in 2005/06). The large number of these approvals were directed towards municipalities with huge service backlogs and high levels of poverty – a clear demonstration of the Bank’s commitment to supporting government in achieving its infrastructure and development objectives in low-income communities.
 
Significantly, this bolder approach towards maximizing development impact has seen the number of households receiving new or improved basic services as a result of the DBSA operations increase to 1,6 million compared to 1,16 million last year.
 
Through Siyenza Manje, a hands-on infrastructure project implementation plan launched in 2006 and done in partnership with a number of government departments and institutions, the Bank has, through its Development Fund, supported 86 municipalities and helped complete 97 infrastructure projects around the country. Also, through the Vulindlela Academy, the Bank trained 489 delegates (20% over target) in areas that are critical for service delivery and good governance.  

Under its Sustainable Communities Programme  – which seeks to promote the building of sustainable, integrated and inclusive communities – the Bank has established six pilot sites, two of which have already reached the level of integration and a common vision for development.
 
On the BEE front, the Bank approved 12 projects with BEE components. Some of these involved balance sheet financing and others were to acquire stakes in public-private partnership transactions. Two significant support packages for BEE were in the Gautrain and Neotel (second fixed line national operator) transactions. On the whole, BEE approvals rose to 38% of total loans and equity, up from 31% in 2005/06.
 
The DBSA has also shown its own commitment to regional integration and NEPAD through multi-country investments which have grown by 61% from last year. Cumulative disbursements to date into the SADC region (excluding South Africa) amount to R6,4 billion, comprising over 128 medium to long term projects in both the public and private sectors. These include projects in sectors such as energy, roads and drainage, financial services, water, transport and manufacturing.  
 
Looking ahead and beyond, the Bank will continue to strive to raise the level of its development impact.

“Over and above the flagship Siyenza Manje and Sustainable Communities programmes, we will continue to provide strategic and operational support to the 2010 Infrastructure Project, the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and the NEPAD action plans for infrastructure,” says DBSA’s Managing Director, Paul Baloyi.