I have fond memories of years as a municipal engineer, particularly the 21 years spent serving and assisting IMESA grow to what it is today.

It was at the last IMESA council meeting in Cape Town that I was asked to perform the official opening of our new premises on behalf of the executive committee and the council. I considered this an enormous privilege and honour.

I would like to thank all the individuals who have worked so tirelessly on IMESA’s administration down the years, particularly Frik Bosman, who greatly assisted us with the admin systems and policies. Their dedication and hard work have laid a firm foundation for our new head office, which is no less important than the actual bricks and mortar of our new home.

The big move to IMESA House was made in May 2011 after extensive refurbishment to provide suitable training facilities and to accommodate additional staff. This came about after it became apparent that we would require more floor space than originally envisaged. By November 2010, IMESA’s training initiatives had proved so successful that more national training projects in infrastructure asset management and project management were in the pipeline.

Judy Stephens was appointed as IMESA’s training coordinator and a number of trainers are assisting her throughout the country.

We are also responding to other national needs, such as assisting of many municipalities with the management of their infrastructure assets. This is being managed from IMESA House by our newly formed company IMESA (PTY) Ltd.

Strategic planning had identified the need for a conference coordinator based at IMESA House to assist with initiatives for our Jubilee Year celebrations and to support the local organising committee for the 2011 IMESA Conference and future events such as this year’s annual conference. Debbie Anderson was appointed in July 2011 as our conference coordinator to fulfil this role.

Frank Stevens heads up administration at IMESA House. The administrative workload required the appointment in a fulltime receptionist, who could both assist Ingrid Botton and provide support for membership administration. Anurah Sathnarin was appointed in August last year and Zanele Dlamini completes the staff complement in the role of office services.

This brings us to where we are today. It is stability and certainty that bind us together. Frank Stevens, our incoming president, has promised to uphold and continue the growth and stature of the institute. Frank has indicated through inspiration and encouragement he will continue to live out IMESAs objectives, namely:

1. to promote and support the interests of infrastructure engineering professionals and the engineering fraternity involved
2. to continue to develop strategic partnerships with government, semi-government, academic, research and other institutions to the benefit of IMIESA, its members and the profession in general.

Thanks to the efforts of the executive committee and council as stewards of the institute and to Ingrid, Judy, Debbie and Anurah, who have worked so hard to transform complexity into simple, streamlined systems and processes, IMESA House is now an efficient hub that will see the institute through the next 50 years!