CESA last night (12 August) hosted its annual CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards.

CESA hosts this annual event as a platform to showcase the outstanding achievements of its member firms. The Awards focus on consulting engineers and their clients who participate in or initiate projects that promote the advancement of our nation and the people of the continent.

Consulting engineers are key

“We too have a good story to tell,” Abe Thela, CESA President, told those present at the CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards.

There is no denying that consulting engineers are at the forefront of infrastructure development. The country’s National Development Plan (NDP) was created in order to develop the South African economy. Government through the NDP has identified infrastructure development as key to the socio economic development of the country.  Adequate infrastructure is one of the areas crucial to encouraging investment.

With government’s plan to grow the economy and triple GDP by 2030, the consulting engineering industry has a significant role to play in achieving this growth through infrastructure provision.

Minister Mokonyane makes an appearance

Minster of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane attended last night’s event and appealed to the consulting engineering community to help government deliver quality projects within the specified time frame.

“I believe there are good men and women [here] that can change the landscape of our country,” said Mokonyane. She added that consulting engineers need to be game changers, providing skills and making a serious commitment to finding solutions.

Mokonyane also emphasised the need for a ten-year plan on infrastructure as short term plans do not work.

 

 The winners

 

Projects with a value in excess of R250 million

Nominees: AECOM | GIBB | Zithole Consulting | Hatch Goba | Ingérop South Africa

Commendations: AECOM — Komati Water SupplyAugmentation Scheme | GIBB — Kalagadi Manganese railway siding project

Winner: AECOM — Spring Grove Dam and appurtenant works

 

Projects with a value of between R50 and R250 million

Nominees: Aurecon | Bosch Stemele | GIBB | HHO Africa | Jeffares & Green | Nyeleti Consulting

Commendations: Jeffares & Green — Electron Road Waste Management Facility | Aurecon — Grundfos office and warehouse

Winner: Aurecon — Malmesbury Wastewater Treatment Works

 

Projects with a value of less than R50 million

Nominees: AECOM, GIBB, Aganang Consulting Engineers joint venture | Aurecon | GIBB | Royal HaskoningDHV | Hatch Goba | SMEC | UWP Consulting | Zithole Consulting

Commendations: GIBB — Facterton informal sector electrification project | SMEC — Isando Pedestrian Bridge

Winner: Aurecon — KwaMashu Interchange upgrade

 

Best internation project

Nominees: Jeffares & Green | UWP Consulting | WSP

Winner: Jeffares & Green — Lowlands Waterworks joint venture for the Metolong Dam Pedestrain Bridge

 

Business excellence

Nominees: GIBB | Nyeleti Consulting

Commendation: GIBB

Winner: Nyeleti Consulting

 

Visionary client of the year

Winner: Department of Water and Sanitation — Policy and Regulations Directorate

 

Mentoring company of the year

Nominees: Hatch Goba | Nyeleti Consulting

Winner: Nyeleti Consulting

 

Young engineer of the year

Nominees: Pavanya Pillay — GIBB | Noqobo Bongoza — Hatch Goba | Makotsene Makgalemele — HHO Africa | Cobus van Dyk — UWP Consulting | Teboho Mofokeng — Aurecon | Effort Mokoena — SMEC | Meethan Gokool — Bosch Holdings

Commendations: Cobus van Dyk — UWP Consulting | Teboho Mofokeng — Aurecon

Winner: Makotsene Makgalemele — HHO Africa

 

Mentor of the year

Nominations: Johann van der Westhuizen — Hatch Goba | Vernon Joubert — GIBB | Zulch Lötter — UWP

Winner: Vernon Joubert — GIBB

 

Job shadow initiative of the year

Runners up: Royal HaskoningDHV | GIBB

Winner: ILISO Consulting

 

Branch of the year

Winner: KwaZulu-Natal