The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) reports that it was informed on December 7 that its sixth-term council president Mashao Lawrence Lebea had died.

He was inaugurated as ECSA president in December 2020, marking the start of a four-year term, with Refilwe Buthelezi serving as VP.

Over the years, Lebea has served in various ECSA structures including as the chairperson of both the fifth-term council’s central registration committee and the research, policy and standards committee.

His vast experience in the engineering sector spanned over 36 years with 26 of them being in key management positions in both the private and public sector, including his role as Mtema Mashao Consulting Engineers CEO, which he founded in 2002.

Lebea held a master of engineering from the University of Pretoria, a BSc in civil engineering and a national diploma for technicians in civil engineering.

He was affiliated with various engineering bodies and served as a member of the Consulting Engineers of South Africa, the National Society of Black Engineers, the South African Black Technical and Allied Careers Organisation and as a fellow at the South African Institution of Civil Engineers.

In addition, Lebea was a “dedicated and humble servant” of the engineering fraternity, a “fountain of wisdom, a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope” to everyone who had the privilege to work with him, ECSA says in a statement.

“ECSA is honoured to have been led by this gentle giant, who over the years has displayed exceptional leadership, due diligence and represented the industry with pride as well as worked to steer the organisation towards a sustainable future by adopting sound and ethical policies to propel the organisation further,” states ECSA.

The organisation thanks Lebea’s family for his service and extends its “heartfelt and sincere condolences” to the Lebea family, friends, colleagues and the engineering fraternity at large.