The 2026 Steel Awards take place within a tough operating environment and during industry body the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction’s (SAISC’s) seventieth anniversary year, which makes the event “particularly significant”, says SAISC CEO Amanuel Gebremeskel.

“The steel construction sector is operating in a challenging environment. There are real concerns around material availability, tariff pressures, infrastructure delivery, competitiveness and consistent material quality, and SAISC is actively engaged in many of those discussions.

“At the same time, we need to make sure those challenges do not become the only story being told about the industry.”

He notes that for 70 years, SAISC has worked to advance technical excellence, quality and professionalism within the steel construction industry, and that the Steel Awards have become an important part of that work, providing a platform to “recognise projects and teams that demonstrate what good steel construction looks like in practice”.

He explains that the anniversary has influenced the positioning of the 2026 Awards, but states that the institute has sought to avoid overshadowing the industry’s current successes by making the awards overly retrospective. “We want to acknowledge the industry’s history while looking at what is being achieved today and where the sector is heading next.”

Consequently, SAISC did not feel it necessary to create a once-off anniversary category since the “value and credibility” of the Steel Awards come from recognising “genuine achievement” in real projects and applying consistent professional judgement to those projects.

Nonetheless, the awards’ coinciding with the anniversary allows SAISC to tell a broader story around legacy, progress and the future of steel construction in Southern Africa.

Gebremeskel adds that the awards have evolved considerably over the past few years, but the technical integrity of the programme “remains fundamental”. For example, the judging process remains rigorous and focused on the projects, the engineering involved, quality of execution, innovation and the challenges that were overcome.

However, since 2022, the awards have moved away from the traditional corporate awards format, with SAISC putting greater thought into the overall experience. These changes involved event identity, production quality, audiovisual content, project storytelling, entertainment and networking opportunities.

“There is a strategic reason for doing this. If the Steel Awards are to recognise and celebrate exceptional achievement in our industry, the event itself should reflect an appropriate level of quality and prestige. At the same time, we do not want the production to overshadow the projects. The aim is to better tell their stories.”

He adds that for SAISC’s anniversary, it seeks to build on this approach, stating that the evening should feel “prestigious and memorable”, while remaining firmly centred on the projects and people being recognised.

“We want guests to understand not only which projects won, but why those projects deserve recognition.”

Judges’ Prerogative

Gebremeskel says the 2026 awards have attracted a strong range of projects from across the steel construction industry.

“The entries cover numerous steel construction applications, with categories including Architectural, Infrastructure, Commercial and Retail, Mining, Factory and Warehouse, Industrial, Innovation and Sustainability, Light Steel Frame Building, and Metal Cladding and Roofing.”

He suggests that one of the strengths of the awards is that size does not determine whether a project is “exceptional”, explaining that, while a major project may involve extraordinary engineering and construction challenges, smaller projects can demonstrate equally impressive ingenuity.

“The judges are interested in the quality of the solution and what the project team achieved within the particular circumstances of the project.”

These considerations also connect with SAISC’s wider focus on quality. Whether from a materials-, engineering-, fabrication-, erection- or final delivery perspective, quality directly impacts on safety, durability and ultimately industry reputation.

“The awards give us an opportunity to show what those standards look like when they are applied successfully.”

He cites collaboration as another important consideration for the judges, stating that successful steel construction depends on many disciplines working together, often from the early stages of a project.

Further, he explains that ‘innovation’ does not necessarily mean complexity. “A relatively simple solution that uses steel intelligently to solve a difficult problem can be every bit as impressive as a highly complex structure.”

Broader Role

The Steel Awards have a role beyond the event itself, Gebremeskel avers.

He notes that Southern Africa still has considerable engineering, fabrication, manufacturing and construction capability, and the awards offer a credible platform to showcase that work and the people and businesses behind it.

He states that, although SAISC manages the awards, the institution sees them as an industry platform.

Moreover, the aim is for the awards’ impact to extend beyond visibility on the evening, with Gebremeskel noting that project storytelling, industry content and engagement around the awards all contribute to a broader platform that “celebrates and promotes excellence” across the Southern African steel construction sector.

“Our sponsors make it possible for us to continue building that platform. The 2026 Awards are supported by organisations from across the steel value chain, led by our Main Sponsor, Unica Iron & Steel, alongside our category and event partners.”

These sponsors include Bolt and Engineering Distributors, NJR Steel, BSi Steel, Stewarts & Lloyds, Macsteel, Clotan Steel, Safal Steel, Association of Steel Tube & Pipe Manufacturers, Credeq Africa and ArcelorMittal South Africa.

The Awards will take place on October 29, at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.