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Regional Reports

Free State Branch across their vision for CESA and their planning for
2014.
The CESA Free State Branch had a quiet year in
The branch further hosted a talk for members in
2014 and the Presidential Visit was the highlight
association with Investec Financial Services on the
of the year, which was well attended by member
economic forecast for South Africa in the Construction
firms. There were quite a few courses planned for
industry. The talk was very well attended, especially
Bloemfontein, but due to insufficient numbers many
CESA YPF members who showed a keen interest in
courses ended up being cancelled.
the future outlook for the profession and the industry.
Another very good development was a Client Liaison
In turn the YPF had a number of engagements with
meeting with the Department of Water and Sanitation
the CESA Branch on the outcomes of the recent
(Free State Regional Office). DW&S are looking to
survey that was held on the issues pertaining to
beef up their internal technical capacity, and are
young professional engineers. We were encouraged
investigating the possibility of seconding young
by the energy and enthusiasm shown by the YPF
graduates to member firms on a part time basis to
branch to address specific outcomes of the survey,
gain the necessary design experience required for
especially difficulties experienced in the ECSA
ECSA registration. DW&S have estimated that R
registration process, training and coaching of young
9.6 billion is needed to invest in water and sanitation
engineers and the negative impact of the professional
infrastructure.
procurement regulations on the YPF members.
During the last 20 years, the focus has been on
Looking forward the branch is in the final stages
providing services to poor communities, but the
of planning a panel discussion as part of a branch
agricultural sector has a great need for new or
meeting on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as a
refurbished water infrastructure to unlock economic
project delivery mechanism. In this instance, three
growth. DW&S will need the skills of CESA member
senior speakers were booked from the consulting,
firms, but have raised a concern that there is
contracting and financial services sector to discuss
questionable business ethos on some projects with
the potential advantages and pitfalls of this project
sub-standard construction monitoring. Member firms
implementation method.
should report any questionable construction activities
to Branch Committee who in turn can forward the
With the provincial sun comes the cold days as well
concerns to DW&S.
and in this case the provincial construction industry
and engineering profession unfortunately remains
Looking ahead, the branch would like to focus on
under severe pressure due to low economic activity
client liaison. We have some plans for a social 10
and an extremely challenging public procurement
Pin Bowling event and then the Branch AGM. We
process. As per the mandate of CESA to its members
are looking at working with related organisations like
these issues are being addressed on a national as
SAICE and IMESA to see how we can best serve the
well as provincial platform.
consulting engineering sector.

Western Cape Branch Gauteng North
It has been a quiet second and third quarter for
As is the case in the province of abundant sun and
the Gauteng North Branch, with branch committee
rain, the CESA Western Cape branch had a number
members being tied up with work commitments in a
of highlights, both from the main branch as well as
competitive market where budgets and timeframes CESA Annual Review 2013 / 2014
from the Young Professional’s Forum (YPF) who were
are extremely tight and with an extremely quiet public
very active. The branch started its year on a high note
sector in the region.
by hosting its well-attended annual Presidential Visit
in March 2014 at the prestigious Cape Town Hotel
The branch started the year with good momentum
School, where CESA President and CEO brought
with a well-attended AGM on 28 March 2014 where
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