Industry organisation the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (Saice) hopes President Cyril Ramaphosa will focus on making employment a priority within the civil engineering sector, as the slow or stagnant awarding of projects is creating structural unemployment, Saice CEO Vishaal Lutchman says.

There has been no build programme since the 2010 World Cup, which is unacceptable, he says, stressing that South Africa does not need to plan complex projects.

“We need simple projects to roll out, which can meet the needs of civil society and attract our local talent. We need to also remember that historically, as in 2008/9, and into the future, the built environment will always support the growth of the South African economy,” he says.

In terms of the civil engineering sector, maintenance needs to be a core focus for 2022, adds newly inaugurated Saice president Professor Marianne Vanderschuren.

“We need to care for what we have, and not just spend our resources planning for what we want. Our existing infrastructure is old and much of it is under threat of failure. We need to act swiftly in mitigating the challenges that we are experiencing with energy and water supply, sewerage provision and transport infrastructure,” she says.

“We must focus on realistic projects which we can deliver with local talent – and then build our momentum from there.”

Saice can offer the evidence base that government needs to make sound decisions, she emphasises.

“We are here to offer support to the State in implementing the best approach to priority projects, including maintenance.

"At the same time, we can keep the standards high. These high standards mean that projects have greater economic efficiency – taking into account the entire lifecycle of the structure, not only the near-term project goals,” says Vanderschuren.

Meanwhile, the announcement of $8.5-billion in funding commitments for the energy transition and a $750-million loan from the World Bank have the potential to create many opportunities for the civil engineering and construction sector.

“We must ensure that this funding will be used wholly towards our national priorities. While our economy did improve in 2021, the improvement is slowing, and we have not fully caught up. We are not out of the woods yet so we need to spend wisely,” she emphasises.

Saice and its membership base can assist the State in improving existing infrastructure, forming asset management plans, as well as in planning for realistic and priority projects to contribute to South Africa’s recovery, says Vanderschuren.

Saice members are primed to contribute to the priorities that will be outlined in the State of the Nation address, says Lutchman.

“Saice has a strong focus on fostering a highly skilled and professional civil engineering community in South Africa. We can assist the State in implementing best practice and optimising their processes.”

The organisation's strong network, supported by the Saice Connect platform, means it is able to assist the State in recruiting technocrats who are primed to guide infrastructure portfolios to success.

“We have made great strides in partnering with the public and private sectors. We have empowered engineers to form connections between entities and this can be leveraged by our government,” he says.