We recently hosted a successful Western Cape Branch Function, bringing together members and key stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions about the province’s infrastructure landscape. Our CEO Chris Campbell officially welcomed attendees, emphasising the importance of collaboration in addressing industry challenges and driving sustainable development.

Western Cape Branch Chair, Paul Faria, provided insights into the consulting engineering environment in the region. While the province is experiencing renewed investment in infrastructure projects, procurement inefficiencies and a critical skills shortage continue to hinder project execution. He highlighted the vital role of consulting engineers in shaping a sustainable and resilient future.

Our President, David Leukes, addressed members on the key theme for 2025, “Collaborating for the Future We Want: Mobilising for Sustainable Development.” He underscored the need for a life-cycle and integrated approach to infrastructure development – one that goes beyond construction to include long-term planning, operation, and maintenance. He also emphasised the importance of investing in STEM education to build a future-ready workforce.

The event also featured insightful contributions from guest speakers. Siva Naidoo, Senior Legal Risk Advisor at Aon South Africa, shared his expertise on “SA’s Performance Bonds and How They Affect Professional Indemnity & Engineering Consultants”. Ben Peters, Director of Corporate Project, Programme & Portfolio Management (C3PM) at the City of Cape Town, discussed the City’s approach to infrastructure development.

The function also addressed Cape Town’s ongoing traffic congestion issues, with stakeholders emphasising the need for a comprehensive, integrated transportation strategy. Discussions reinforced that while investment in infrastructure is promising in the province, systemic inefficiencies, including capacity challenges, must be tackled to ensure sustainable progress.

We extend our gratitude to all who attended and contributed to the success of the Western Cape Branch Function.

These discussions reinforce our commitment to strengthening the industry and working together to build a resilient and thriving infrastructure sector.

We look forward to meeting our members firms and key stakeholders at our next branch function in KwaZulu-Natal on the 9^th of April; and in the Eastern Cape on the 7^th of May. For more information, contact: godfrey@cesa.co.za.