11 November 2021

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the untimely passing of Graham Pirie, past CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), on 9 November 2021.

Having graduated as a civil engineer from the University of the Witwatersrand, Graham started working for Johannesburg City Council in 1972 as an Engineer in Training and rose through the ranks to eventually head the Roads and Planning Departments as Deputy City Engineer and Executive Director: Planning, respectively. He also spent time in the positions of Acting Town Clerk and Chief Executive Officer of the North Eastern Metropolitan Substructure. During his more than 30 years with the Council he gained experience in a wide range of engineering and related fields including structural design, solid waste management, road construction and maintenance as well as development planning with particular emphasis on land use and transportation planning.

In 1995 Graham joined Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), formerly the South African Association of Consulting Engineers (SAACE) as its Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 2013. At CESA his contributions to the engineering profession in terms of outreach to and communication with the media, as well as with Government structures on behalf of the consulting engineering community, ensured a high and well-respected profile for consulting engineers in particular and engineering in general. He was a founder of CESA’s School of Consulting Engineering, that is devoted to building management and business acumen amongst member firms and their clients.

Graham had a heart for volunteerism and was passionate about CESA and the consulting engineering industry. He was humble, kind, well liked and respected. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him, another engineering stalwart taken too soon.

CESA sends its deepest sympathies to his beloved wife Patricia, his daughters, and their families, as well as his friends and former colleagues.

May he rest in peace.