The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Engineering was officially presented to Hatch Goba chairman, Trueman Goba at the inaugural South African Professional Services Awards (SAPSA) ceremony held in Johannesburg.
Goba was deemed winner in a category with numerous high-profile nominees, by a panel of judges who reviewed media reports, technical awards, client surveys and organisation profiles before reaching their final decision. Commenting on the award, Goba says: “Pursuing a professional career entails important responsibilities. It is therefore wonderful to be honoured alongside achievers from legal, accounting and finance professions. Young people aspiring to become engineers should also note this.” Goba was born in Durban, South Africa, and studied in Pietersburg to become a survey technician. He then graduated with a BSc Eng at University of Natal, and subsequently with MEng (Civil) at Cornell University, in the USA. In 2001, Goba’s company GMA merged with Keeve Steyn to form GOBA, which merged into the Hatch Group in 2013.
He was also president of the SA Institution of Civil Engineers (SAICE) in 2002, and president of the engineering council (ECSA) from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, he was appointed by South Africa’s president to the first National Planning Commission and was awarded a Gold Medal by the SAICE in 2013.
The SAPSA Awards was established to recognise individuals and organisations that have excelled within the South African professional services industry in the following categories:- Professional services firm of the year
- Professional of the year
- Young professional of the year
- Woman professional of the year
- Lifetime achievements
