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Abe Thela (CESA President) giving his speech at the Presidential Media Event

Mark Allix (Business Day); Bonolo Nkgodi (CESA Marketing & Daren Smith (Brooke Pattrick Publisher); David Poggiolini
Events Manager) and Terence Creamer (Civil Engineering Contractor Editor); Roy Cokaynes (Business
(Engineering News Editor) Report) and Dennis Ndaba (CESA Strategic Communicator)

There are a number of concerns regarding human Engineering consultants are registered professionals
capital development in the country and these require with the Engineering Council of South Africa. They
unique programmes focused on addressing them. These are key to infrastructure delivery as they are front end
concerns must be addressed as a minimum: Poor quality leaders responsible for investigation, planning, design
of basic education including Mathematics and Science; and construction monitoring of infrastructure projects.
Youth unemployed and unemployable; Structure of the
education system; Youth with qualifications but without The then Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan said
experience. in his medium-term budget policy statement in 2014,
that the largest cuts to “reduce costs and eliminate
Thela believes that, “Failure to tackle these challenges wasteful expenditure” would be to the amounts spent
decisively with a systematic approach will deprive on consultants. He added that there are of course
a whole generation of opportunities to develop their necessary engineering and advisory services employed
potential, escape poverty and support the country’s by government departments which bode well for CESA
trajectory toward inclusive growth and economic and its over 500 strong member firms employing
transformation. CESA with the backing of our over 500 over 22,000 staff. However, it needs better contract
strong member firms recommit ourselves to partner with management and stricter control of consultancy fees.
Government and other role players in finding lasting
and practical solutions to these problems, especially in CESA has been vocal, open and honest with our
relation to infrastructure development.” dealings with the State and we have proper controls
that require our members to perform their duties with
Engineering Consultants Key to Unlocking integrity as we subscribe to the principle of business
Project Pipeline ethics.
Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) reiterates
that there is a distinction between engineering The organisation believes that the government should
consultants and consultants. be spending more on engineering consultants in order

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