Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) is encouraged by Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi’s support of its War Chest, but will like to clear some misconceptions about the need for such a fund.

In his address at the inaugural South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions conference underway at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Nxesi said that the department welcomes CESA’s War Chest, but the impression created is that only government is corrupt whereas  there is a corrupter and a corrupted entity and urged that CESA must look at itself first.

We would like to set the record straight and dispel any animosity between the government and CESA. For the past few years, CESA has been advocating the issue of integrity and ethical balance among its members and the industry at large.

“Our members subscribe to the CESA Business Integrity Management System and if any of our members, is found to be unethical, anyone is welcome to contact CESA where the matter will be investigated and strong sanctions taken for any transgression,” proclaims CESA CEO Graham Pirie

He notes that CESA has motivated the concept of signing an Integrity Pact at project award stage, where all the parties to the contract commit themselves to project delivery while subscribing to the principals of integrity.

Taking a client to Court is a last resort, after all other avenues were explored and exhausted.

However, CESA agrees with the Minister that the country is engaged in a life and death struggle against corruption where one of the solutions lies in ensuring that the professionals we train have a strong sense of professional ethics and service.

Nxesi added that we need more well-trained project and construction managers to start to minimise the space for corrupt activities to take place.

CESA would like to partner with government to effectively counter the scourge of corruption.