ED Platform

For years, infrastructure projects have largely been evaluated by the amount invested in the project or the megawatts added into the grid. But is that enough? In his latest article on Engineering News "Measuring the Real Impact of Infrastructure" our CEO, Steven Hawes, explores why the conversation is shifting from measuring outputs to measuring impact. Rather than focusing solely on what has been built, the article examines whether infrastructure is creating jobs, growing local businesses, developing skills and improving the lives of the communities it serves. As Africa continues to invest in energy and infrastructure, understanding and measuring these outcomes has never been more important. It is a timely reminder that the success of infrastructure should ultimately be measured by the value it creates for people and local communities. Please take few minutes to read the article and join the conversation, we'd love to hear your thoughts on how the success of infrastructure investments should be measured, and what indicators matter the most? 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/diD5EQA2 #Infrastructure #EconomicDevelopment #RenewableEnergy #MeasuringImpact #Sustainability #REIPPPP #EDPInsights

#PeopleofEDP 🎉

This Youth Day, we celebrate the resilience, innovation, and potential of South Africa's young people. As our country continues its infrastructure development and energy transition, we are presented with a unique opportunity to address one of South Africa's greatest challenges: youth unemployment. IPPs and other infrastructure projects create pathways for meaningful economic participation through skills development, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, internships, and sustainable employment opportunities. The future of the sector depends not only on the infrastructure we build, but also on the people we empower. By investing in young talent today, we are building a more inclusive and prosperous South Africa for generations to come. At ED Platform, we remain committed to helping infrastructure projects translate ED commitments into measurable outcomes that create real opportunities for young people and the communities they serve. #YouthDay2026 #EconomicDevelopment #YouthEmpowerment #SkillsDevelopment #JustEnergyTransition #EDBeyondCompliance

This Youth Day, we celebrate the resilience, innovation, and potential of South Africa's young people. As our country continues its infrastructure development and energy transition, we are presented with a unique opportunity to address one of South Africa's greatest challenges: youth unemployment. IPPs and other infrastructure projects create pathways for meaningful economic participation through skills development, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, internships, and sustainable employment opportunities. The future of the sector depends not only on the infrastructure we build, but also on the people we empower. By investing in young talent today, we are building a more inclusive and prosperous South Africa for generations to come. At ED Platform, we remain committed to helping infrastructure projects translate ED commitments into measurable outcomes that create real opportunities for young people and the communities they serve. #YouthDay2026 #EconomicDevelopment #YouthEmpowerment #SkillsDevelopment #JustEnergyTransition #EDBeyondCompliance

ED Platform is excited to be attending #AEF2026! Connect with our leadership team Jon Mulcahy, Joshua Goldin, Maloba G Tshehla (Dad), and Mark Smith CA(SA). The Africa Energy Forum brings together the continent’s leading energy stakeholders to shape the future of Africa’s energy transition. If you're looking to move beyond compliance and deliver meaningful Economic Development impact, we'd love to connect. Let's discuss how your ED commitments can be translated into measurable outcomes that create lasting value for communities. #AEF2026 #EnergyTransision #EconomicDevelopment #ImpactMeasurement 

Congratulations to Ntokozo Faith Moumakwe, who's been promoted to Operations Manager at ED Platform. Ntokozo has been an incredible part of our team and continues to show up with dedication and consistent leadership. Please join us in celebrating Ntokozo on this well-deserved milestone. We are excited to see what lies ahead! 👏 #MeetTheTeam #EconomicDevelopment #REIPPPP #InfrastructureDevelopment #PeopleOfEDP

Effective economic development programmes require more than delivery against a set of commitments. They require early structural clarity. Clear accountability. And measurement that can be evidenced over time. This is where a systems-based approach becomes critical. In ED Platform’s experience, stronger outcomes are more likely where programmes are approached not as isolated compliance requirements, but as structured development commitments that need to hold together across design, implementation, reporting and evidence. That includes asking better questions earlier. What is the programme intended to change? How will progress be monitored in practice? What evidence will be required to demonstrate impact credibly? How will stakeholders remain aligned over time? These are not reporting questions alone. They are programme design questions. And they often determine whether economic development work is merely delivered, or whether it produces outcomes that are measurable, defensible and meaningful in practice. #EconomicDevelopment #IPP #ProgrammeDesign #Governance #ImpactMeasurement

Programme architecture, governance and accountability are often discussed as separate topics. In practice, they are closely linked. Programme architecture determines how the intervention is structured. Governance determines how responsibility is assigned and exercised. Accountability determines whether delivery can be monitored, tested and evidenced over time. When these elements are aligned, programmes are easier to manage and easier to evaluate. When they are disconnected, the effects show quickly. Delivery continues. But coherence weakens. Reporting expands. But clarity declines. Stakeholders remain active. But responsibility becomes less clear. This is why governance should not be treated as something separate from programme design. It is part of the structure that makes credible delivery possible. #EconomicDevelopment #IPP #Governance #Accountability #SystemsThinking

Across stronger economic development programmes, certain patterns tend to repeat. Not only in what is delivered. But in how delivery is structured. Stronger programmes usually share a few common characteristics. Objectives are clearly defined. Roles and responsibilities are understood. Monitoring is consistent. Reporting is credible. And outcomes can be evidenced over time. These elements do not guarantee impact on their own. But they create the conditions for programmes to remain coherent, measurable and defensible in practice. This is particularly important in environments where multiple stakeholders, reporting requirements and implementation pressures must all be managed at once. The programmes that hold up best are rarely the ones doing the most activity. They are usually the ones built on the clearest structure. #EconomicDevelopment #IPP #ProgrammeDesign #ImpactMeasurement #BestPractice

Many of the challenges seen in economic development programmes are not new. Weak reporting. Unclear accountability. Misalignment across stakeholders. Difficulty evidencing impact. These are often treated as delivery problems. But in many cases, they are structural problems that only become visible during delivery. If objectives are not clearly defined, reporting becomes inconsistent. If roles are not clearly assigned, accountability starts to fragment. If measurement is introduced too late, outcomes become difficult to evidence. By the time these issues are visible, the programme is already carrying the effects of earlier structural gaps. This is why the same challenges persist across otherwise well-intentioned initiatives. They are not always caused by a lack of effort. Often, they are caused by weaknesses in how the programme was designed in the first place. #EconomicDevelopment #IPP #ProgrammeDesign #Governance #ProgrammeDelivery