Civil Engineering September 2021 | Vol 29 No 8

14 September 2021 Civil Engineering Prof i le M alcolm matriculated from Glenwood High School in 1952 and went on to study engineering at the University of Natal (now University of KwaZulu-Natal). He originally wanted to pursue a career as a doctor but could not because his school had not offered Latin. “I became an engineer because my father said I had to, but I’ve enjoyed it. It has really been my hobby as well as my career,” says Malcolm. Malcolm was the only person in his class to complete his degree in four years and was awarded a thesis design prize and offered a junior lectureship. Malcolm had to turn down the lectureship due to his bursary obligations, but he does not regret this because the events that followed shaped his life and career. CAREER OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS After graduating Malcolm spent six years working in construction for the South African Railways and Harbours Administration (SAR&H) with a focus on railway lines and, more extensively, on tunnels. During this time, he worked on a project which included approximately 40 km of new railways lines with associated bridges and structures as well as 13 km of tunnels. This included the Boughton- Cedara twin tunnels which, at a length of 6 km each, were the longest tunnels in the country at the time. While Malcolm was passionate about construction and tunnels, he had always been interested in roads and went on to join the Natal Roads Department where his focus was largely on geotechnical and road design. However, after five years with the department, public sector engineering underwent a crisis. Public sector en- gineers were being paid very poorly in comparison to their private sector coun- terparts, and the result was an exodus of engineers from the public sector. Malcolm recalls a particular provincial head telling a gathering of engineers that, “engineers should be on tap, not on top.” According to Malcolm, around 70% of public sector engineers left for the private sector shortly after, and he himself spent four years working for a private consulting firm. In 1972 the National Transport Commission became a road-building authority and offered Malcolm a job as an Assistant Chief Engineer focusing on pave- ments and geotechnical engineering. He remained with the National Department Dr Malcolm Mitchell – a transport sector icon After joining SAICE as a student member in 1956, Dr Malcolm Mitchell is now one of SAICE’s longest standing members. Civil Engineering spoke to Malcolm about his prolific career in the transport sector and his contributions to SAICE over the past 65 years. Dr Malcolm Mitchell, one of SAICE’s longest standing members Malcolm with his extended family at his 80 th birthday celebration in Holland – a central meeting place for family members from four continents