At the heart of this year’s Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Infrastructure Indaba is a powerful call to action: bring South Africa’s engineers back home to contribute to our nation’s growth.

The CESA Infrastructure Indaba commenced today at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg. With the theme, “Engineering the Future We Want: Mobilising for Sustainable Development,” the Indaba set the stage for action-oriented discussions aimed at advancing South Africa’s infrastructure through collaboration, innovation, and strategic investment.

Highlighting the critical need for skilled professionals in the country, the Honourable Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, made an impassioned plea for engineers working abroad to return and play a role in rebuilding South Africa.

“Engineers are the midwives of construction in SA. I want engineers to come back to South Africa and contribute to our projects.”

CESA CEO Chris Campbell added, “The Indaba is not just a talk shop; it is a platform for action. We need to ensure that our engineers feel valued, have opportunities for growth, and are empowered to drive meaningful change in South Africa.”

Further, Minister Macpherson, speaking on the importance of restoring confidence in the infrastructure sector, remarked: “A key indicator of success would be seeing the stock prices of the Big 5 construction companies returning to their previous levels. We want the construction industry to thrive and become a cornerstone of employment in South Africa. Our goal is to revitalise existing construction companies and foster the emergence of new ones, which will lead to more engineers being employed across the nation.”

Minister Macpherson also emphasised that the time for action is now: “The time for talk is over; now is the time for action. We have the plans in place and are implementing the difficult decisions necessary to turn South Africa into a thriving ‘construction site’,” he declared.

He emphasised the critical role of partnerships between government and the private sector, stating, “We will never achieve our infrastructure goals unless we partner with experts in the private sector –  the key to unlocking our economic potential.”

CESA President David Leukes concurred: “Collaboration is the backbone of sustainable development. By working together across disciplines and sectors, we can ensure that our infrastructure is not only resilient and future-ready but also inclusive and transformative. This Indaba is about mobilisation and action. It’s about moving from plans and policies to implementation, from ideas to impact,” Leukes remarked. He urged stakeholders to ensure investments translate into real progress.

Further, Annabel Bishop, Chief Economist at Investec, also provided insights into South Africa’s economic outlook, stating: “We expect the first interest rate cut this year, after January’s in July, with another possible cut later in the year. A lot depends on what the Reserve Bank anticipates and what happens in international markets.”

“The ultimate goal is to accelerate inclusive economic growth and boost the employment rate. Last year, business confidence was not in a good space, but now, with private sector investment accounting for 74% of fixed investment, there is real hope for improvement. “

“If we achieve operational improvements and swiftly mobilise private sector investment, we could see GDP growth reach 3.3% by the end of 2025. This would provide a crucial uplift from the baseline. Higher taxes are not the solution for funding problems in South Africa; in fact, they have weakened the economy. Cutting back on non-critical expenditure is key,” Bishop added.

Meanwhile, another critical session at today’s Indaba focused on “Transformation & Capacity Building,” facilitated by Jabulile Msiza, CESA Board Member and Director at Jones & Wagener. The session featured insights from Teboho Moephudi, Project Director of the Thuthuka Project at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants; Thandeka Mpanza, House of Constituent Member of the Law Society of South Africa; Danny Masimene, President of the Black Business Council in the Built Environment; Penny Ncobeni, Project Manager at Kufanikiwa Consulting; Gerhard Vivier, Manager of the Engineering Management Branch at the City of Cape Town; and Gundo V Maswime, Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town.

A key session that focused on economic growth at the Indaba: “Procurement Strategies and Delivery Models: Opportunity for Industry and Economic Growth,” was facilitated by Naomi Naidoo, CESA Board Member and Managing Director of Pink Africa Consulting Engineers. The session also featured Tintswalo Masia, Deputy Business Unit Leader at the Auditor-General South Africa; Dr. Ron Watermeyer, Board Member of FIDIC Credentialing Limited; Thobeka Mgobozi, Senior Banker at Absa Corporate and Investment Banking; and Chuene Ramphele, Group Executive at the Infrastructure Delivery Division of the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

For more information about the CESA Infrastructure Indaba visit: www.cesa.co.za/indaba/ and watch the conference proceedings of the second day live on our Facebook Page