Dear CESA Members, 

As we pass the halfway mark for 2026, it is heartening to witness the tangible progress being delivered by our industry. The recent completion and inauguration of the Senqu Bridge stands as a powerful example of engineering excellence and successful cross-border collaboration through the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. 

We must continue to celebrate such achievements, as we do through various initiatives, such as our CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards – from megaprojects to the vital maintenance and rehabilitation works that keep our existing infrastructure functioning.

I encourage all member firms to share your successes with us, regardless of scale. 

Whether it is a water project that has been reliably serving communities for decades, a firm marking a significant anniversary, or innovative solutions quietly improving lives, let’s amplify these stories. Feel free to send us your submissions. 

On the funding front, the recent approval of a R16 billion (approximately $1 billion) loan from the New Development Bank (BRICS Bank) for metropolitan municipal infrastructure upgrades represents both a significant opportunity and a profound responsibility. This funding is targeted at critical upgrades in water supply, sanitation, electricity, solid waste management, and related services across South Africa’s eight major metropolitan municipalities, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, eThekwini, Tshwane, and others. 

For this investment to deliver meaningful impact, it is imperative that these funds do not end up in the wrong hands or be lost to fruitless and wasteful expenditure, issues that have unfortunately plagued too many public infrastructure initiatives in the past.  

We have seen how poor planning, inadequate oversight, corruption, and weak implementation can turn substantial allocations into little more than lost opportunities. As consulting engineers, we stand ready to support transparent, professional, and accountable delivery. With the right people in the right positions, supported by rigorous procurement processes, proper project preparation, strong governance, and ethical engineering oversight, this loan can become a catalyst for real, lasting change.  

It must translate into tangible improvements in service delivery that benefit all South Africans, restoring public trust, stimulating economic activity, creating jobs, and building resilient cities for future generations. 

We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and innovation. By working together, sharing knowledge, advocating for best practices, and insisting on accountability, we can help ensure that infrastructure funding achieves its intended outcomes and strengthens the consulting engineering sector’s contribution to South Africa’s development. 

Warm regards,  
Chris Campbell  
CEO, Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA)