CESA Aon Awards creating legacies and honouring legends in the quest for engineering excellence

15^th August 2018 In a night lit with glitz and glamour the who’s who of the Built Environment, hosted by Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) and sponsored by Aon South Africa, celebrated excellence in engineering at the 2018 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards – creating legacies and honouring legends.

This year close to 50 submissions were received and in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s Centenary year CESA expanded the Award’s categories to include ‘The Lifetime Industry Achievement Award’, a discretionary award to recognise an individual who has contributed significantly to the development and promotion of the Consulting Engineering Industry in South Africa during their lifetime.

Chris Campbell, CESA CEO stated, “It was befitting that we included this new category in the centenary year of one of the greatest legends of all time, Nelson Mandela.Engineers create legacies, each time you change the landscape you change history. Each time you plan, design, build, maintain and rehabilitate, you are creating a legacy for the next generation.” Engineering impacts directly on people’s lives making clean water possible, providing reliable energy, safe transport and fast communication. 

Aon South Africa Business Unit Manager Meggyn Marot stated, “The gravity and everlasting effects of an engineer’s work on a society should never be overlooked. As challenging as the environment may be, you have achieved success by being out there, being on the forefront, and having a clear plan about what the eventualities might be. We believe that risk should also be embraced for the opportunity that it presents.  As winners of the 2018 CESA awards, you have been a part of making history, and sewing your craft into the fabric of the societies you serve. We congratulate each and every one of you for the strides and accomplishments you have made.  We are immensely proud to be sponsoring this prestigious event, and of our ongoing association with CESA and its members.”

Awards were handed out in the following categories: Lifetime Industry Achievement Award; Young Engineer of the Year; Engineering Excellence for projects with a value of less than R50million; projects between R50million and R250million and for projects with a value of over R250million; Best International Project; Visionary Client of the Year; Young Company of the Year; Mentor of the Year; Business Excellence; Mentoring Company of the Year; Publisher of the Year; Job Shadow Initiative; and Branch of the Year.

Winners:

The first ever CESA Lifetime Industry Achievement Award was presented posthumously to Ivor Evans, one of CESA’s past presidents who had served the industry with enthusiasm and passion his entire career.

In order to promote the Consulting Engineering industry to young professionals, CESA recognises the contribution young engineers make to the industry and to the future of the profession. The winner is afforded an opportunity to attend the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Infrastructure Conference. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) sponsored the Young Engineer of the Year Award. The winner in the category of Young Engineer of the Year is Shamiso Kumbirai from Aurecon with Ntseuoa Motsieloa from Nyeleti Consulting receiving a commendation.

The category for Engineering Excellence with a value greater than R250 million was won by Aecom for the Construction of the Cape Flats 3 Bulk Sewer – Phase 2 with HHO Consulting receiving a commendation for the Upgrade of the N11 Section 10 from Middelburg to Loskop Dam.

The category for Engineering Excellence with a value between R50 million and R250 million was won by Aurecon for the Sol Plaatje University Library and Student Resource Centre. Commendations were awarded to Knight Piésold for the Rehabilitation of Main Road between Atlantic Road, Muizenberg and Clovelly Road, Clovelly – Phase 3; and to Royal HaskoningDHV for the Grayston Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge.

The category for Engineering Excellence with a value less than R50 million, was won by Hatch Africa for the Tugela River Pedestrian Bridge with Naidu Consulting receiving a commendation for the Widening of the Tongati River Bridge.

In the category of Best International Project, sponsored by the Built Environment Professionals Export Council (BEPEC), SMEC South Africa was announced as winner for the Sydney Metro Cable Stayed Bridge with Knight Piésold receiving a commendation for the Von Bach Dam Asphaltic Seal Replacement.

Knight Piésold won the Business Excellence category with BVi Consulting Engineers receiving a commendation. Naidu Consulting won the Mentoring Company of the Year, sponsored by Bosch Holdings with Knight Piésold receiving a commendation. Infraconsult Engineering was recognized as Small Company of the Year. In an effort to promote mentorship of young engineers CESA recognises the contribution Mentors make to the industry and the future of the profession.  Graham Jennings from Knight Piésold is the Mentor of the Year. SANRAL is the Visionary Client of the Year.

In recognition of the role that the media plays in the industry, Crown Publications received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Trade Publications and Tiso Blackstar publishers of Business Day received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Daily Newspapers.

Knight Piésold was announced as the winner of the CESA Job Shadow Initiative with UWP Consulting as the 1st runner up and Hatch as 2nd runner up. CESA’s Limpopo Branch was named winner of the Branch of the Year Award.  

Contact:

Dennis Ndaba

CESA Strategic Communicator

011 463 2022 or 0785323100

dennis@cesa.co.za