Branch Function and Young Professionals Leadership Seminar
Connecting members, strengthening partnerships and shaping the future of infrastructure lies at the heart of our regional activities. Through our Branch Functions and Young Professionals Leadership Seminars, members gain access to valuable industry insights, engage directly with government and key stakeholders, expand their professional networks and contribute to the conversations influencing engineering and infrastructure delivery across South Africa. We hosted 3 events this past quarter in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Free State Branch Functions.
KwaZulu-Natal Branch Function
Our KwaZulu-Natal Branch Function brought together members, clients and public sector stakeholders for meaningful discussions on the challenges, opportunities and priorities shaping infrastructure development in the province.
Facilitated by Programme Director Naomi Naidoo, the programme opened with KwaZulu-Natal Branch Chair Sagren Narasimulu, who highlighted the importance of addressing infrastructure maintenance backlogs, strengthening resilience and working collectively to overcome the systemic challenges impacting the sector.
Our President, Dr. Vishal Haripersad, also Regional Manager of Knight Piésold Africa, expanded on our 2026 theme: “If Not Engineers, Then Who? Reclaiming Our Purpose, Securing Our Future.” He emphasised the profession’s responsibility to drive accountability across the project lifecycle, strengthen public-private partnerships and adopt a people-centred approach grounded in Ubuntu.Dr. Haripersad highlighted the need to rebuild institutional capacity, invest in skills development and retention, and ensure that infrastructure delivery translates into sustainable service outcomes for communities. He reinforced that engineering has a critical role to play in shaping a future where infrastructure supports inclusive growth and long-term resilience.
Our CEO, Chris Campbell, also shared perspectives on the importance of collaboration across the sector, strengthening engagement between industry and government, and ensuring that the consulting engineering profession continues to contribute meaningfully to infrastructure development and service delivery. Public sector representatives shared valuable insights into current initiatives and reforms underway in the province.
Mkuseli Madubela, Professional Construction Project Manager at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure – Southern Region, outlined the department’s move towards broader contract frameworks and the adoption of digital systems to improve efficiency, strengthen processes and enhance project delivery. Roxanne Canny, Acting Area Project Manager: Water and Sanitation at eThekwini Municipality, highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure, improve service delivery and respond to the growing needs of communities across the municipality.
The session concluded with valuable engagement between industry and government stakeholders, reinforcing a shared commitment to collaboration, innovation and capacity building. Together, these discussions highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing infrastructure challenges and supporting sustainable development across KwaZulu-Natal.
Naomi Naidoo: CEO of Pink Africa Consultign Engineers
Sagren Narasimulu: KwaZulu-Natal Branch Chair
Dr. Vishal Haripersad: CESA President
Chris Campbell: CESA CEO
Mkuseli Madubela: Professional Construction Project Manager at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure – Southern Region
Roxanne Canny: Acting Area Project Manager: Water and Sanitation at eThekwini Municipality
Limpopo Branch Function
Our Limpopo Branch Function brought together member firms, industry leaders, government representatives, media and key stakeholders at Meropa Casino & Entertainment World for meaningful engagement on the future of infrastructure delivery in the province. The programme featured insights from Limpopo Branch Chair Livhu Motabatsindi of Muteo Consulting, who welcomed attendees and highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration across the consulting engineering sector. Our President, Dr. Vishal Haripersad and CEO, Chris Campbell, shared perspectives on the role of the profession in addressing infrastructure challenges and supporting sustainable development.
The event also welcomed MEC Ernest Rachoene of the Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, representing Premier Dr. Phophi Constance Ramathuba, alongside Gundo Maswime, CEO of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, and Kishan Tulsi from Roads Agency Limpopo.
MEC Rachoene explained that as government, they value the important role played by CESA in shaping the infrastructure landscape of our country. “CESA has become a respected voice for engineering excellence, ethical conduct, sustainable infrastructure development and professional integrity. Your contribution extends far beyond technical advisory services. You are partners in economic growth, partners in transformation and partners in building a capable developmental state,” he said. Read the full speech here.
Discussions focused on the importance of strong public-private partnerships, infrastructure investment, maintenance, procurement reform and the continued role of consulting engineers in enabling economic growth and improved service delivery. Speakers highlighted the need for strategic planning, effective project implementation and collaborative approaches to ensure infrastructure development delivers meaningful and lasting value for communities.
The session provided a valuable platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing, reinforcing a shared commitment among industry and government stakeholders to strengthen capacity, drive innovation and support sustainable infrastructure development across Limpopo and South Africa.
Livhu Motabatsindi: Limpopo Branch Chair
Dr. Vishal Haripersad: CESA President
Chris Campbell: CESA CEO
MEC Ernest Rachoene: Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure
Gundo Maswime: CEO of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, and Kishan Tulsi from Roads Agency Limpopo
Free State Branch Function and Young Professionals Leadership Seminar
We hosted our Free State Branch Function in Bloemfontein, bringing together industry leaders, government representatives, member firms and stakeholders to discuss infrastructure delivery, engineering leadership and the future of the profession.
Our President, Dr. Vishal Haripersad, unpacked our 2026 theme, “If Not Engineers, Then Who? Reclaiming Our Purpose, Securing Our Future,” emphasising the need for engineering leadership not only on construction sites, but also in boardrooms, municipalities, policy forums and other spaces where infrastructure decisions are made. He highlighted the critical role engineers play in shaping sustainable infrastructure outcomes and securing the future of the profession.
The event featured contributions from our CEO, Chris Campbell; Ms Kathleen Dibolelo Mance, MEC for the Free State Department of Public Works and Infrastructure; and Pulane Motloi, CESA Free State Branch Chairperson and Director at African Engineering and Construction Solutions. Discussions focused on infrastructure delivery, public sector professionalisation, collaboration and the role of consulting engineers in supporting the province’s development objectives.
Earlier in the day, we hosted a Young Professionals Leadership Seminar, facilitated by Katiso Mokoena, CESA YPF Free State Chairperson and Civil Engineer at Bigen Group. The seminar provided valuable leadership and career development insights for emerging professionals and encouraged active participation in shaping the future of the engineering sector.
Contributions from Moleboheng Mokhele, Deputy Director: RAMS at the Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport in the Free State Provincial Government; Gerda Kruger, Senior Consulting Engineer at Bigen Group; Dr Vishal Haripersad; and Chris Campbell focused on leadership development, continuous learning and the importance of empowering the next generation of engineering professionals.
These engagements reinforced our commitment to strengthening collaboration between industry and government, advancing engineering leadership and supporting the professional growth of both established and emerging professionals within the Free State.
We extend our appreciation to Bigen Group and SMEC for their support of these initiatives.
Katiso Mokoena: CESA YPF Free State Chairperson
Gerda Kruger: Senior Consulting Engineer at Bigen Group
Pulane Motloi: CESA Free State Branch Chairperson
Ms Kathleen Dibolelo Mance: MEC for the Free State Department of Public Works and Infrastructure
Dr. Vishal Haripersad: CESA President
Chris Campbell: CEO of CESA
Mpumalanga Branch Function
We hosted a Young Professionals Leadership Seminar and our Mpumalanga Branch Function in Mbombela, bringing together young professionals, engineers, industry leaders and government representatives for a day of engagement, learning and collaboration.
The Young Professionals Leadership Seminar featured insights from Memory Silaule, YPF Mpumalanga Chair and Civil Engineer at Lubisi Consulting Engineers; Kholofelo Machaba (Pr.Eng), Civil Engineer at the Department of Water and Sanitation; and Adriaan Odendaal, Senior Consulting Engineer at Pienaar & Erwee Engineers, who shared valuable perspectives on leadership, career growth and the future of the engineering profession.
Our Branch Function was opened by Chalmers Pagiwa, CESA Mpumalanga Branch Chairperson and Managing Director of Lubisi Consulting Engineers, who emphasised the importance of partnership, noting: “As Consulting Engineers South Africa, we must send a clear message to government: We are ready, capable and willing partners in addressing challenges facing the province.”
Our President Dr. Vishal Haripersad, also MD of Knight Piesold Southern Africa, challenged guests to place engineering expertise at the centre of decision-making, stating: “If infrastructure challenges are fundamentally technical in nature, then engineers must play a far greater role in decision-making.”
MEC Thulasizwe Thomo of the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport also attended the branch function. In his keynote address, MEC Thomo recognised the contribution of the engineering profession.
Recognising the contribution of the profession, he reminded delegates that “behind every completed project, there is a profession whose contribution is often invisible to the public” and that “infrastructure is first built in the mind of an engineer before it is built on the ground.”
The MEC also reaffirmed the value of the consulting engineering profession, stating that CESA is regarded not merely as a professional association, but as “a strategic partner” and “an important policy and infrastructure think tank capable of contributing meaningfully to our developmental agenda.” Access his full speech here: https://shorturl.at/LyMQQ
Our CEO Chris Campbell provided key industry insights unpack the future development of infrastructure in the province.
Thank you to all our speakers, young professionals, member firms and stakeholders who contributed to meaningful discussions on leadership, infrastructure delivery, collaboration and the future of engineering in Mpumalanga.
Memory Silaule: YPF Mpumalanga Chair
Kholofelo Machaba (Pr.Eng): Civil Engineer at the Department of Water and Sanitation
Adriaan Odendaal: Senior Consulting Engineer at Pienaar & Erwee Engineers
Chalmers Pagiwa: CESA Mpumalanga Branch Chairperson
Dr. Vishal Haripersad: CESA President
MEC Thulasizwe Thomo: Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport
Chris Campbell: CESA CEO