JG Afrika (Pty) Ltd, a leading multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy, is pleased to announce the promotion of Emma Day and Jefrey Pilusa to Technical Director; Adrian Johnson, Byron Mawer, Graham Pearson, Keval Singh and Tarryn van Vuuren to Executive Associate; and Delwin Smith to Associate.

At the same time, the Board of Directors has also selected Mfundo Ntuzela, Muhammed Essa, Priantha Subrayen, Viahn Parazee, Waseefa Ebrahim and Wimpie Krügel to the JG Afrika employee share trust.

Emma Day has spent her entire engineering career at JG Afrika. She joined the firm as a bursary student in 2006 and, in 2009, was offered a permanent position as a graduate student. In 2013, Day registered as a Professional Engineer and was promoted to Associate in 2017 and Executive Associate in 2021. Her most memorable experiences at the firm are working on all manner of projects for the Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire, ranging from bridge inspections to designing dual carriageway roads. In her new role, Day looks forward to playing her part in ensuring that JG Afrika embraces all new innovative technology, including machine learning.

A qualified Chemical Engineer who also holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Jefrey Pilusa has more than 17 years’ experience in process engineering; alternative-waste treatment; waste management; mineral processing; and energy efficiency. He joined JG Afrika in 2016 and currently leads the firm’s Waste and Environmental Management Division in Johannesburg. One of his most memorable moments with JG Afrika was participating in an international waste management and energy project, which highlighted the social, cultural and environmental effects of engineering activities and that innovation can adequately address societal challenges. He looks forward to continuing to expand alternative energy; energy efficiency; and sustainable waste management across Africa and beyond. 

Adrian Johnson joined JG Afrika in 2017 and has since participated in many of the firm’s projects. In 2022, Johnson was appointed Manager of the Traffic and Transportation Division and was promoted to Associate in 2023. In his new role, he aspires to grow the Traffic and Transportation team into an even more strategic growth driver for JG Afrika. Johnson also looks forward to continuing to ensure that the division delivers high-quality professional work that earns recognition from industry peers.

Byron Mawer joined JG Afrika as a bursary student in 2012 and was appointed a graduate engineer in the firm’s Structural Engineering Department in 2015. Thereafter, he started working in JG Afrika’s Integrated Waste Management Department which led to his promotion to Associate in 2022. Moving forward in his new role, Mawer will support the

management team in ensuring the continued success of JG Afrika. This includes entering new strategic markets, while nurturing existing client relationships by continuing to offer a world-class engineering service. He will also strive to make every new project an even better experience than the last.

Graham Pearson started working in JG Afrika’s Structures Division in 2009 during the vacations to gain valuable work experience while completing his engineering studies and in 2022 he was promoted to Associate. During his time here he has been a valuable member of the structural engineering team and has participated in many flagship JG Afrika projects that also entailed collaborating with engineers across the globe. In his new role, he looks forward to mentoring young and up-and-coming JG Afrika engineers so that they too can reach their full potential as professionals and individuals.

Starting his career at JG Afrika as an Engineering Geologist in the Geohydrology Division in 2013, Keval Singh has had the opportunity to work on many of the firm’s infrastructure projects throughout southern Africa, ranging from renewable energy facilities through to dams. His most memorable moments with JG Afrika have been when the company’s strong team of Engineering Geologists and Geotechnical Engineers synergised to deliver project milestones on time. In his new role as part of the management team, he looks forward to helping to steer the firm on a new growth trajectory.

Tarryn van Vuuren joined JG Afrika as a bursary student 15 years ago and started working in the Water Department in Pietermaritzburg as permanent member of the team in 2012. She has since participated in many JG Afrika projects all the way from feasibility study phase through to commissioning of the final top-notch infrastructure and was promoted to Associate in 2022. She looks forward to continuing her journey with JG Afrika especially at a time when it is harnessing new innovation to remain at the cutting-edge of a rapidly changing engineering industry.

Delwin Smith joined JG Afrika in 2022 as a Senior Wastewater Technologist. In this capacity, he helped to lead many of the firm’s wastewater projects, not least of which were the upgrades to Bellville and Athlone wastewater-treatment plants. As an Associate, he aspires to play a key role in fostering a collaborative working environment that continues to innovate. This will ensure that the firm remains relevant and is positioned at the forefront of a dynamic industry that continues to undergo change.

The JG Afrika Board of Directors congratulates the members of the team on their promotions and selections to the employee trust and looks forward to their continued successful careers with the company.