Civil Engineering January/February 2021 | Vol 29 No 1

Civil Engineering January/February 2021 13 we may need to go the extra mile, as many of us have been doing in the last few years. It may appear unfair when we look around, but remaining steadfast and convicted in the belief of our value proposition will make the much-needed impact we require to improve the quality of life in our country. I have postulated insights into our individual and collective responses to the new world order. As we try to understand the new world, we must make changes to our worldviews that enable us to engage with it with meaning and purpose. In keeping with the need to change, SAICE will be embarking on initiatives that will support our members, businesses, and the industry in a constructive manner. TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH In my last two articles, I have indicated a new approach to solving old problems, namely the adoption of a transdiscipli- nary methodology. The basic motivation proposed that, only if we integrate key ideologies from multiple disciplines, will we have a chance at reducing inequality. As SAICE looks to validate such a methodology, through future deep dives into current industry-specific processes and activities, we see an opportunity to reinvent and make new the way in which we implement build programmes going forward. Some of our strategic interventions will relate to the integrated planning of infrastructure, procurement, training and development, infrastructure design, and new methodologies for project execution. Integrating the above with existing and new government initiatives and the global expectations of our country, as it applies to becoming a good global citizen, is among the current discussion points within many institutions. The proposed transdisciplinary methodology supports, for example, UNESCO’s Engineering Report, in partnership with the World Federation of Engineering Organisations, the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, which require that engineers identify with their role in the socio-economic development of mankind. A new prioritisation of the social component of development, segued with economics, technology, and politics, assists with an integrated approach to a new guideline for integrated planning, for example. A global scan of countries that are more egalitarian may prove to be insightful as it applies to infrastructure within the greater socio-economic development context. The Construction 2.0 report published by KPMG for Hong Kong, which examines the challenges within the local construction industry, highlights the problems of large develop- ment plans, high costs, unsatisfactory success of megaprojects, unsatisfactory safety on sites, declining productivity, and a lack of creativity and innovation. Responses to such challenges relate to innovation, professionalism, and revitali- sation. Similarly, the Project 13 report published by the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK found that high performing infrastructure requires a capable owner, governance, organisation, integration, and digital transformation. Admittedly, the Construction 2.0 and Project 13 studies were carried out within different cultural contexts, but the base objectives are the same, namely, to improve infrastructure delivery in their respective geographies. The challenges faced in these geogra- phies are similar and relevant to the South African context. We could argue that South Africa could do with a greater level of professionalism. This talks to capacity and education (SDG 4) in our industry; incorporation of innovation, technology, and greater digitisation (SDG 9); integration (transdisciplinary approach); good communication with government and suppliers (procurement); and govern- ance which talks to the securitisation and management of public funds. One of the most significant opportu- nities available to SAICE, whose primary focus is building engineering capacity and expanding knowledge, is that it is placed to assist with establishing greater capability in the domain of project owners. The Construction 2.0 and Project 13 case studies validate the shared need to address procurement, capacity, digital innovation, education, governance, integrated planning, and technology to ensure a balanced value proposition for key stakeholders. It seems to point us in the direction of professional- ising the public sector – an initiative currently held by the Public Sector Commission and the objectives of District Development Model held by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. While SAICE assesses the feasibility of a similar homegrown approach, we do acknowledge that multiple stakeholders are required to make good on such initia- tives. In keeping with the recommenda- tion that we need to change how we look at the world, we will also need to change how we engage with the world. Such change will be determined by engineers’ efforts to transform their thinking in order to bring value to a developmental state. Our destiny awaits! I take this opportunity to reaffirm that SAICE will continue to advocate for change for the benefit of our members, corporates, and the industry overall. To this extent I invite members to actively engage with SAICE to grow, network, lead, and create value for the society we serve. SAICE is indeed yours to make and shape you, your business, and your communities alike. Vishaal Lutchman Pr Eng, PMP vishaal@saice.org.za One of the most significant opportunities available to SAICE, whose primary focus is building engineering capacity and expanding knowledge, is that it is placed to assist with establishing greater capability in the domain of project owners. In keeping with the recommendation that we need to change how we look at the world, we will also need to change how we engage with the world. Such change will be determined by engineers’ efforts to transform their thinking in order to bring value to a developmental state. Our destiny awaits!