PARIS, April 21 – France is in discussions to provide a €100 million loan to South Africa to support efforts to revitalise infrastructure and service delivery in major cities.
The funding would complement an existing $925 million facility from the World Bank, which backs the National Treasury’s Metro Trading Services program focused on improving water supply, sanitation, electricity and waste management.
The proposed financing is expected to come through Agence Française de Développement, reflecting growing international support for South Africa’s urban reform agenda.
According to France’s ambassador to South Africa, David Martinon, the loan is aimed at helping municipalities modernise infrastructure systems and improve service delivery, particularly in areas linked to energy transition and environmental management.
The program targets metropolitan areas that are home to about 22 million people, more than a third of South Africa’s population, where infrastructure challenges have led to frequent power outages and water disruptions in cities such as Johannesburg and Durban.
South Africa has increasingly turned to global development partners to address infrastructure backlogs and improve urban governance, as it works to stabilise essential services and support long-term economic growth.
