The annual Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Conference and Exhibition is a high-level event, providing consulting engineers and associated industries a unique networking and learning experience that supports its members’ business, operational and procurement needs.

This year, the CESA Annual Conference and AGM will be held at the Westin Hotel, Cape Town, on 11 and 12 November.

Focus 2013

In his maiden speech as president of CESA, Lefadi Makibinyane pulled no punches on the issue of corruption; he likened it to a crime against humanity. “It is a crime against humanity and must be uprooted at all costs…The work of an engineer centres on harnessing the might of science for safe human use and benefit within the constraints of the natural environment.”

This strong stance has informed much of the content for the conference. Other themes include sustainable engineering, working effectively with the public sector and the National Development Plan.

Key Speakers: Lefadi Makibinyane, CEO of CESA

The newly appointed CEO of CESA, Lefadi Makibinyane, holds a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (Chemical Engineering) from the University of Teesside in the United Kingdom, a Management Development Programme postgraduate certificate in project management as well as master’s degree in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa’s School of Business Leadership, Pretoria.

Hehas worked for the City of Tshwane as a strategic executive director in the services infrastructure department, at WestLB AG as a director, vice president of Fieldstone Africa and also held various senior positions at Sasol, Industrial Development Corporation, Engen Refinery, Anglo American Coal Division, Nampak, South African Breweries as well as the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa.

Naren Bhojaram, president of CESA

Bhojaram is a Professional Civil Engineer who specialises in water supply, sanitation and municipal service delivery optimisation. Having spent a few years at a local authority, he moved on to SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants (now Royal HaskoningDHV) where he rose to the position of CEO, which he held from 2006 to 2011. Bhojaram has been responsible for preparation of the CESA Sustainability Framework and the organisation’s Business Integrity Management System – mandatory for all CESA member firms.

Abe Thela, deputy president of the CESA and the chair of the Staff and Finance Committee

Thela is a civil engineer with over 20years’ postgraduate experience mainly in consulting civil engineering. He graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1988 with a degree in civil engineering and a deep interest in the betterment of the lives of South Africans through the provision of municipal services and infrastructure. He is fascinated by the use of trenchless technology in the rehabilitation and construction of existing pipeline. For the past five years he has served on various committees of CESA and was chair of the Membership and Constitutional Affairs Committee. He is currently the deputy president of the CESA and the chair of its Staff and Finance Committee.

Frank Stevens, president of Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

Born, raised and matriculated in Germiston, Stevens holds a BSc (Civil) fromNatal University, Durban. With 10years of experience working in consulting engineering firms, he has a long and distinguished working in the public sector with several positions held in the City of Durban, the Borough of Pinetown and Port Natal. His areas of service are remarkably broad and include roads, housing, hydraulics, water and sanitation, and wastewater management. His more recent senior positions were as manager: Water Research and Development; director of Wastewater Management; and deputy head in charge of technical support, water and sanitation.

Keynote Speakers

The theme for the conference is “Leadership – Key to Sustainability”. Sought-after international speaker Jason Drew will get the ball rolling. Drew is a serial entrepreneur, passionate environmentalist and visionary who recognises that the sustainability revolution has begun. Alderman Ian Neilson, Executive Deputy Mayor, City of Cape Town, has consulted on many municipal projects in his capacity as civil engineer.

Conference themes and programme

One of the highlights of this year’s conference is a move away from the didactic approach of presentations towards the more interactive format of panel discussions. Covering environmental sustainability, enterprise sustainability, the National Development Plan and green business, participants will engage in serious conversation and debate in front of an audience, leading to a blend of opinions and outcomes. Participants include Prof Piet Naude (NMMU), Arthur Taute (Chairman NMMU), LulluKrugel (associate director, KPMG), Gregory Mofokeng (Black Business Council) and Jabu Mabuza (president, Business Unity South Africa), Frank Stephens (president of IMESA), Percy Scehemane (CEO, Randwater), Peter Kleynhans (SAICE) and Max Clarke (Hatch Goba).

CESA Golf Day and Spouses Programme

Keeping with tradition, CESA will be hosting a Golf Day at the magnificent Milnerton Golf Club. World-renowned, the course is known for its majestic views of Table Mountain and close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. There is an abundance of foliage, trees and birds throughout the course making the whole experience relaxing and gratifying. Enough to calm down even the most competitive of souls.

The location for the spouses programme is the historic World Heritage Site, Kirstenbosch. The only botanical gardens in the world to hold this title, the gardens are spectacularly alive and home to many famous indigenous species. Three very good quality restaurants, each offering a distinctive menu, make the gardens an ideal venue for lunch. This excursion takes place on 10 November and the price includes all transport from the Westin Hotel, entrance into the gardens and lunch with limited drinks.

For further information, please visit www.cesa.co.za
t+27 (0)11 463 2022
E-mail: general@cesa.co.za