Civil Engineering November 2022 | Vol 30 No 10

T he SANRAL SAICE 2022 National Awards was a hybrid event held both online and in-person at Montecasino in Gauteng where over 300 guests attended. Speaking at the event, SAICE President Prof. Marianne Vanderschuren advocated the importance of the civil engineering industry and its pivotal role in enhancing economic development to help drive the infrastructure of tomorrow for the benefit of all South Africans. “Civil engineering involves conceptu- alising, designing, building, supervising, operating, constructing, and maintaining physical and naturally built environment infrastructure projects and systems in both the public and private sectors. “This is why SAICE plays an integral role for civil engineering professionals in South Africa. And the SANRAL SAICE Awards affirm this critical role – we recognise outstanding individuals, projects, companies and our members who go the extra mile in showcasing engineering ingenuity, innova- tion and excellence in our profession. “In my visits to various regions across South Africa I have met incredible individuals that use their civil engineering knowledge and skills to improve the country. They continue to tirelessly im- prove infrastructure and the next genera- tion of professionals through higher edu- cation, and even Saturday mathematics for high school learners,” she said. She explained that at a recent event, a leader in the insurance industry indicated that the sector is realising that occur- rences, such as Covid-19 and regional flooding, will occur again, necessitating the rethinking of organisational approaches. “I think as engineers we need to do the same – to rethink our building standards, among others, and convert our precious infrastructure into more resilient facilities.” Michael Mhlanga, chairperson of the SAICE Future Leaders Panel, highlighted the importance of the influence and commitment that future leaders must continue to showcase in order to grow the civil engineering profession. He stressed that for young professionals, participation in local and international infrastructure projects is a critical step in enabling the development of well-rounded leaders. The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) was the two- time naming rights sponsor for the annual awards, and SAICE was excited to partner with them again in 2022. “Collaboration, co-operation and fostering relationships is at the forefront of growing the civil engi- neering profession in order to enable sus- tainable infrastructure development for future generations,” said Vanderschuren. Keynote speaker for the evening, Edmund Nxumalo, the CEO of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), provided great insights on the value and role of the engineering industry in driving critical infrastructure develop- ment in South Africa. “Our economic survival – the growth of this country – is in the hands of engineers. It is for this reason that the engineering status should be pushed to the next and highest level. It is remiss for most of the country’s infrastructure projects not to be driven and managed by engineers, as we have seen in some government departments, including municipalities. SANRAL SA I CE 2022 Nat i onal Awards Sustaining the future of the civil engineering industry The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) hosted its annual awards ceremony on 1 September, celebrating individuals and organisations, as well as its members who have demonstrated resilience and promoted sustainability in the civil engineering profession. Recipients of the SANRAL SAICE 2022 National Awards 8 November 2022  Civil Engineering