South Africa’s civil engineers must “insist on being invited to the table” and unite to “push the sustainability agenda terms of infrastructure development”, South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) president Steven Kaplan has said.

He was speaking at the 2023 South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) SAICE Awards hosted in Johannesburg on September 7 to celebrate outstanding achievements in the field of civil engineering and simultaneously commemorate SAICE's 120th anniversary.

"Together, we are fostering a culture of sustainability and innovation in civil engineering, which is imperative for the future of the industry. The ingenuity of tonight's projects from all of our entrants highlights why engineering practitioners are not just a resource but are, in fact, essential to the decision-making process," Kaplan said.

"Let's make engineering truly great once again and ensure our infrastructure serves the public interest and enriches the lives of all South Africans,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Sanral CEO Reginald Demana implored the civil engineering sector to become more inclusive and to be champions of transformation.

“We are going to be judged in a few years’ time by the extent to which we have helped drive the sector forward into something that's more transformational, welcoming and receptive of those that are in the margins of the economy,” he said.

He lamented that the South African economy was not growing, with increasing demands being placed on those few industries that were successful.

“Multiple people want their share of a shrinking cake. We need to share the cake because, otherwise, we are going to be left holding on to something that's not fair and we're just not going to be given the space to build infrastructure,” Demana said, referring to increasing levels of disruptions and extortion in the sector.

SANRAL SAICE 2023 PROJECT AWARDS

The Mbokodweni Pedestrian Bridge by the eThekwini Engineering Department was crowned as the winner in the Community-Based Project category. The Shongweni six-million-gallon reservoir by Naidu Consulting received a highly commendable mention.

In terms of the Investigative/Report Studies Project category, JG Afrika's ‘Wealth Creation Engineered through Waste Reduction: A Revolutionary Approach to Urban Solid Waste in Uganda’, was declared the winner. The Stellenbosch University Fire Engineering Research Unit's ‘Fire Safety Engineering Guidelines for Informal Settlements’ and JG Afrika's ‘Hillside Aluminium Water Resilience Evaluation and Optimisation Study’ both received highly commendable mentions.

In the Leica Geosystems Technical Excellence Project of the Year Category, KBK Engineers' Musina ring road secured the top spot. ERO Engineers' Periodic Maintenance of MR27 and MR201 Wellington to Windmeul and Bainskloof Pass was highly commended, along with Leaf Structures' Hasso Plattner School for Design Thinking Gridshell Roof and Zutari's SKA Meerkat Extension.

In the International Projects category, the Lumwana C3 Conveyor Repairs project, in Zambia, led by Resultant Consulting Engineers, received a highly commendable recognition.

Reinforced Earth was honoured as the Most Supportive Advertiser of 2022, with AfriSam as the runner-up.

SANRAL SAICE 2023 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

The title of Reinforced Earth Engineer of the Year was awarded to Jones and Wagener engineer Gavin Wardle. Koleko engineer Avinash Menon received a highly commendable mention for his work in the same category.

Bigen Group engineer Charlotte Phasha claimed the win in the PPS for Professionals Young Engineer of the Year category, while WSP engineer Koketso Rammutla earned a highly commendable recognition.

JG Afrika engineer Waseefa Ebrahim secured the title of Graduate Engineer of the Year, while Maccaferri engineer Janita Ramanlal was highly commended for her achievements in this category.

Jones & Wagener technologist Zwelibanzi Mahlangu was awarded the title of Technologist of the Year, while the Young Technologist of the Year award went to Knight Piésold technologist Kissandra Bridgmohan.

In the Graduate Technologist of the Year category, Zutari technologist Lebaka Lehobo and T3 Consulting technologist Massingita Maluleke received commendations for their contributions as graduate technologists.

Oitsegodira Trading project manager Katlego Thakadu earned a commendation in the Afrimat Shared Services Project/Construction Project Manager of the Year category for exceptional project management skills.

First place was awarded to Maureen Tetsoane for ‘Tshoxa 1 Bridge’ in the PPS Photo Competition, followed by Calvin Comins' ‘They see me rolling’ in second place and Teniel Ramjogi's ‘Killarney golf course channel’ in third place. Le Roux Oosthuizen's ‘Arched pedestrian bridge over Riversands dam’ received a highly commendable mention.