On 4 May 2025, we hosted our Gauteng Branch Function at the Premier Hotel in Midrand, convening member firms, government stakeholders, and clients for a robust discussion around the state of infrastructure development in the province.

Opening the event, our CEO Chris Campbell welcomed delegates and reinforced the importance of these regional engagements. He noted that the Gauteng Branch Function is not only a networking platform, but a critical space for dialogue and collaboration across sectors – one that advances consulting engineering and sustainable infrastructure development in South Africa’s economic heartland.

Gauteng Branch Chair and CEO of Avenir Holdings, Tshidi Mndzebele, addressed attendees with a powerful message on the duality of Gauteng’s position: a province full of potential, yet deeply challenged by infrastructure decline. “This is no longer merely a matter of infrastructure development,” Mndzebele stated. “It’s a matter of public health, economic resilience, and social equity.”

Delivering the keynote address, our President David Leukes urged members to mobilise for sustainable development under the theme, Collaborating for the Future We Want. “Gauteng is not just your home; it is the undisputed economic powerhouse of our nation,” he said. “But its story is not just written in numbers. It is written in the daily lives of millions who call this province home.”

Leukes painted a sobering picture of infrastructure realities on the ground: “This is one of infrastructure built in policy, but not on the ground. Of infrastructure planned on paper, and aging, neglected, and stolen where it matters most.” He emphasised that engineers must lead the charge in getting “back to basics” to restore the province’s foundations and ensure Gauteng remains a beacon of opportunity.

In referencing recent remarks by Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, who estimated that over R200 billion is needed to repair collapsing infrastructure in the metro alone, Leukes posed a pointed question: “What can consulting engineers do to change the narrative in Gauteng?” He called for deeper collaboration and a unified approach among engineers, planners, policymakers, and communities.

“We cannot operate in silos,” he stressed. “Through CESA, we’re not just members of an organization – by actively participating, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another, we can accelerate South Africa’s infrastructure development.”

The programme also featured key insights from guest speaker Nomfundo Mbatha, Programme Lead for Infrastructure Pipeline Development and Management at Infrastructure South Africa. Mbatha spotlighted the funding gap in project preparation, noting: “Circa R6 billion a year must be spent on project preparation to achieve NDP target growth levels by 2030. Without quality, bankable projects, investment cannot flow.”

Livhuwani Ndou from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure reaffirmed government’s ongoing engagement with CESA and other stakeholders around the proposed establishment of an Office of the Engineer-General. “This conversation is important, and we look forward to constructive dialogue,” he said.

The event concluded with a dynamic Q&A session facilitated by Campbell, where discussions returned to the importance of rebuilding the policy and delivery frameworks that underpin infrastructure success in South Africa. Campbell reiterated that a “back to basics” approach remains essential in navigating the current environment.