GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY AS ENABLERS OF INCLUSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY: IMPLICATIONS FOR REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Infrastructure is central to economic development, social inclusion and regional integration, yet persistent delivery constraints in South Africa underscore the importance of the institutional conditions throughwhich infrastructure is planned and implemented. This study examines how governance and institutional capacity enable inclusive infrastructure outcomes and the implications for regional integration in SouthernAfrica. Using Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS), the study integrates academic, policy and institutional evidence on infrastructure governance, institutional capacity, inclusive infrastructure and regionalintegration. The synthesis identifies governance–capacity alignment as the degree to which governance requirements correspond with the institutional capabilities available for implementation. Findings indicatethat this alignment influences infrastructure performance and its ability to generate social, economic, spatial and environmental benefits, with important implications for regional connectivity and integration. Thestudy advances the Governance–Capacity–Inclusivity (GCI) Model, which conceptualises governance–capacity alignment as an enabling institutional mechanism linking governance arrangements and organisational capability to multidimensional inclusive infrastructure outcomes. The study contributes an integrated explanation of relationships that are often examined through separate analytical lenses and highlights the need to align governance reforms with capacity development initiatives. The findingssuggest that inclusive infrastructure delivery depends not only on technical and financial resources but also on the institutional capacity to coordinate stakeholders, manage implementation processes and sustain accountability across project lifecycles. The GCI Model offers a conceptual framework for future empirical testing across infrastructure sectors, institutional settings and diverse African contexts, while providing insights to inform policy and strengthen regional development strategies.