The prestigious annual SAICE–SAFCEC Awards gala event for the Most Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievements for 2014/2015 was held at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay in Cape Town on 08 October 2015.

SAICE received more than 30 project entries from across the country to compete for these illustrious awards.

It includes awards for international and technical excellence, as well as community-based projects. On top of that there are awards for the Engineer of the Year and other individual awards, as well as awards for projects entered by the SAICE technical divisions. The photo competition with civil engineering as the theme attracted more than 50 entries.

Infrastructurene.ws congratulates all winners.

Community-based projects

Winner: The upgrading of Main Road P100

The African Renaissance Roads Upgrading Programme: This R48.8 million project benefited the community without creating a visually unsightly scar in the environment. Due to the successful co-operation between the engineer and the community, Naidoo Consulting used innovative solutions as well as created jobs through labour-intensive construction.

Afriscan Construction played their part in this project, which involved building a religious congregation a new church to replace an old vandalised building. Local youth also benefited from this project by getting nationally accredited training and practical experience.

Commendation: The Evolving Design and Construction of Rural National Roads in Response to Community Concerns

Technical Excellence projects

The civil engineering industry makes a huge contribution towards infrastructure creation with the resultant economic and social development in South Africa. Exceptional projects have again been entered and the adjudicators decided on the winner and two commendation:

Winner: Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, “Boomslang”

Boomslang is an organic steel and timber footbridge, meandering through and over the treetops of an Enchanted Forest. The R5 million walkway was designed by Mark Thomas (Architect) and Henry Fagan (structural engineer) and constructed by contractor Slingsby & Gaidien Construction, with steelwork fabricated by Prokon Structures.

Commendation: Umgeni Road Interchange

Commendation: Acid Mine Drainage: Witwatersrand Central Basin

International projects of excellence where South African engineers are involved

Winner: The Jorf Lasfar Slurry Pipeline Project in Morocco

The project was dubbed the world’s largest phosphate ore pipeline with a capacity to transport 38 million tons of phosphate ore per year. This pipeline is the first substantial, long- distance, high-volume slurry pipeline in Africa with a distance of 187 km. Thanks to innovations by the professional team of Paterson and Cooke Consulting Engineers, and main contractors Tekfen Construction of Istanbul, the project demonstrates that slurry pipelines offer environmental and economic advantages.

Commendation: Nacala Dam Feasibility Study

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