The committee members (pictured above: L-R) include Deputy Secretary Jean Gerber, Event Liaison Mishqah Hussain, Vice Chair and Treasurer Itumeleng Sethlabane, Chair Marizel Pienaar, and Secretary Avuyile Mayekiso. They are pictured alongside former chairperson Uzair Osman. This new team embodies energy, vision, and commitment to fostering collaboration and growth for young professionals across the industry.

With the first session facilitated by Uzair Osman, former National Chairperson and Engineer at Bosch Projects, the event featured a dynamic programme of sessions centred around leadership, innovation, sustainability and professionalism in engineering, the event brought together inspiring voices and leaders in our industry, such as David Leukes, our President and MD of BVi Consulting Engineers, and Dr. Vishal Haripersad, our vice-president and Regional Manager for Knight Piésold Africa, adding value through impactful engineering leadership.

Andries Nel, CESA Young Engineer of the Year for 2024, provides key insights during his presentation and highlighted South Africa’s engineering excellence through internationally awarded projects like the Steve Biko Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure and the Gautrain high-speed rail line, exemplifying innovation and infrastructure development.

Adding to the inspiration was an address by SAICE CEO Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, who spoke on “Bridging the Gap Between Engineering Practitioners.” She emphasised the critical role of mentorship, collaboration, and shared responsibility in strengthening our profession. Sekadi called on young professionals to step confidently into future leadership roles, reminding us of the powerful impact experienced engineers have when supporting the next generation.

During the session titled “Engineering the Future: Bridging Tech Talent and Digital Infrastructure for Africa’s Development”, Nyari Samushong, CEO of WETHINKCODE, and Ambrose Chaka Chikukwa from Cype Africa, emphasised the importance of nurturing digital skills and technology adoption to make the most of the current skills and to further upskill the continent’s engineers. Treasure Mngadi from Aon South Africa further presented on the emerging field of cyber consulting for engineers, reflecting the evolving challenges and opportunities within the sector.

Sustainability took centre stage during the “Engineering Services: Design and Development” session, where Chief Engineer at the National Department of Public Works, Shane Palackal highlighted sustainable construction practices and building resilience through innovative design. Masia Pearl from SMEC South Africa shared lessons on sustainable urban mobility, demonstrating the critical role of technical specialists in shaping city infrastructure.

Ethics, leadership, and responsibility were the focus of a compelling session facilitated by Zinhle Setati. Among the speakers, Kamva Ndlala of Maninga Engineering captivated the audience by emphasising the need to serve society through sustainable and resilient infrastructure, while Unam Qomiyana and Prinell Naicker explored professionalism and effective leadership qualities vital for the industry’s future. Elandri Boshoff, Senior Manager Legal at SMEC, posed the question “Client-pleasing Behaviours: The Death of Engineering Professionalism?” to the audience.

Energy efficiency was also thoughtfully addressed in the penultimate session, with process engineer Theasha Naidoo presenting on the Green Hydrogen–Water Nexus in South Africa. Following this, Tahseen Raiman, Manager of Water Distribution at George Municipality, shared insights on “Transitioning to Advanced Metering Infrastructure in George Municipality: Lessons Learned.” Keith Katyora from the Energy Council of South Africa discussed organisational transformation and leadership strategies necessary for achieving net-zero goals, reinforcing the connection between engineering innovation and climate action.