Industry body Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa), in partnership with global professional services firm Aon South Africa, celebrated the country’s leading engineering talent and projects at the Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards, held at Vodacom World, in Midrand, Gauteng, on August 20.

Cesa said these awards celebrated partnerships built on trust between consulting engineers, clients, contractors, specialist teams and the many professionals whose collective expertise transforms ambitious ideas into infrastructure that serves society.

“The projects that were shortlisted demonstrated the extraordinary breadth and capability of South Africa’s consulting engineering profession.

From essential public infrastructure and transportation systems to water, energy, healthcare and industrial developments, each project reflects the ingenuity, technical expertise and professionalism that define our industry,” Cesa CEO Chris Campbell noted.

The awards recognised leading engineering companies and professionals, with engineering consultancy Zutari’s Louis Joubert receiving the Lifetime Industry Achievement Award.

Major project winners included consulting engineering companies Bigen Africa Services, SMEC South Africa, WSP Africa and Zutari, while the latter also won the Best International Project Award for the Polihali Major Bridges – Senqu Bridge – Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2, in Lesotho.

Further, Bigen Africa Services received the Business Excellence of the Year Award; Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates won the Mentoring Company of the Year Award; and Zutari’s Sachin Ravjee was named Young Engineer of the Year.

Creamer Media won Publisher of the Year in the Trade Publications category, while Independent Online (IOL) was named Publisher of the Year for Daily News, and the Western Cape Government’s Department of Infrastructure was recognised as Visionary Client of the Year.

Commending the award recipients, Aon South Africa CEO Dr Nolwandle Mgoqi noted that the quality of engineering work undertaken bodes well for the future of the consulting engineering industry, helping to sufficiently address critical infrastructure challenges.

“We celebrate more than outstanding projects. We celebrate the people, teams, and visionaries whose work is helping to shape South Africa’s future.

“The excellence we have seen through this year’s finalists is a powerful reminder of the talent, innovation, and commitment that exists within our profession,” she explained.

Campbell emphasised the need to remain honest and focused on the challenges that the consulting engineering profession and the country at large still face.