The engineering sector witnessed the South African Engineering version of the Oscars. The cream of the crop of the engineering industry, gathered in a night filled with glitz and glamour to celebrate, honour and reward engineering excellence. 

In a celebration of innovation, quality, outstanding workmanship and professionalism in the industry, Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA) supported  by Aon South Africa hosted the prestigious CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards at Vodaworld  in Midrand. CESA has been hosting the Awards for the past 44 years.

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This prominent event is one of the highlights in the Consulting Engineering industry calendar and the CESA Aon Awards lived up to the expectations. The event was widely attended by the Who’s Who of engineering in South Africa including Clients, related institutions and Associations. The Awards recognised outstanding achievements in the engineering industry and provides the opportunity for guests to network with member firms and clients.

“Given the pivotal role that CESA members have in the South African society and economy, these awards are about thanking all the participants for the role you play in our country’s growth.  Most of all, the winning projects show us that South Africa still has so much to deliver and offer to its citizenry, and that the potential of the country that we love and call home will continue to require excellence that  the Consulting Engineering industry has to offer.

“Clearly an enormous responsibility lies upon your shoulders as the consulting engineers in South Africa, but by the same token, to deliver on these responsibilities, consulting engineers have to operate in a secure, risk-managed environment.   It’s our role at Aon South Africa to facilitate that environment, and to ensure that you have a professional and qualified team on your side, every step of the way,” says Terence Williams, CEO of Aon South Africa.  

Awards were handed out in the following categories: Engineering Excellence for projects with a value of less than R50million; projects between R50million and R250million and for projects with a value of over R250million; Best International Project; Visionary Client of the Year; Mentor of the Year; Business Excellence; Mentoring Company of the Year; Young Engineer of the Year; Publisher of the Year; Job Shadow Initiative; and Branch of the Year.

Here are the winners:

● The category of Engineering Excellence with a value greater than R250 million was won by Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture, Royal HaskoningDHV and Knight Piesold for Eskom’s Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme.This multi-billion rand project is located between Ladysmith and Harrismith in the Little Drakensberg and has a generating capacity of 1332MW and a milestone was achieved this year when the scheme started generating power. Zitholele Consulting was awarded a commendation for the Driefontein Waste Water Treatment Works.

● In order to promote the Consulting Engineering industry to young professionals, CESA recognises the contribution young engineers make to the industry and to the future of the profession. The winner is afforded an opportunity to attend the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Infrastructure Conference.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) sponsored the Young Engineer of the Year Award. The winner in the category of Young Engineer of the Year isDr Gabrielle Wojtowitz fromAureconwith Louis de Waal from Bosch Holdings awarded a commendation.

● The category of Engineering Excellence with a value less than R50 million, was won by Royal HaskoningDHV for the National DST/Mintek NIC Cleanroom Facility. The latest R13-million facility alloys for the rapid development and production to diagnose diseases. HHO Consulting received a commendation.

● The category of Engineering Excellence with a value between R50 million and R250 million was won by MPA for the R103, Provincial Road P4-1 between Van Dyk Road and Diana Road in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.  MPA performed the successful upgrading of this single road to a dual carriageway. The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transportreports that the project has expanded the strategic public transport network.Royal HaskoningDHV received a commendation for the Refurbishment of condale 33kV, as well as Mott MacDonald for the Bellville Waste Management Facility.

● Bigen Africa won the Business Excellence category. This privately-owned project-based group of companies specializes in infrastructure and has the vision of creating long-term development impact within the African economies and communities that it operates in. It is Bigen’s proven expertise in engineering, management consulting and development finance which proactively seeks the best outcome for customer, community and country.

● In the category of Best International Project, sponsored by the Built Environment Professionals Export Council (BEPEC), the winner was Aurecon Botswana for the Kusane Kazungula Village Sanitation Project. With Bosch Project received a commendation for the Nakambala Product Alignment & Refinery

● Bigen Africa also won the Mentoring Company of the Year, sponsored by Bosch Holdings. Bigen Africa states that its biggest asset is human capital. They have designed and implemented strategies which align business objectives with individual expectations of career success. All this – through the organizations’ Future Integrated Talent Programme which sits under the Bigen Capacity Framework.

● In an effort to promote mentorship of young engineers CESA recognises the contribution Mentors make to the industry and the future of the profession.  Nevin Rajasakran from Zitholele Consulting is the Mentor of the year. He has eighteen years of experience. He has personally mentored three candidate engineers over fifteen years. His culminating achievement was to mentor and guide his three mentees to manage teams on some of the country’s major Power Stations.

● Growthpoint Properties is the visionary client of the year. Growthpoint is the market leader in implementing ‘best practices’ for sustainable operational efficiency and ‘green’ features in its 470 properties.

● In recognition of the role that the media plays in the industry, Civil Engineering Contractor received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Trade Publication and Engineering News received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Daily Newspapers.

● Royal HaskoningDHV was announced as the winner of the CESA Job Shadow Initiative with UWP and Nako Iliso as runners-up. CESA’s Cape Town Branch was named winner of the Branch of the Year Award.