The newly-inaugurated South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) president, Friedrich Slabbert, has expressed the intention to focus on sustainability, resilience and net zero carbon emissions in 2025.
With the institution’s theme for 2025 being ‘From Mowing the Lawn to Shaping the Future’ Slabbert said: “Infrastructure forms the backbone of society – the roads we travel, the power we use and the water we access – and its impact goes beyond convenience and into economic growth, societal strengthening and sustainable development.”
He said the theme underpins the critical role played by the institution in developing infrastructure within the country and its goal to advance professionalism, advocate for sustainable and resilient infrastructure and champion excellence.
Slabbert emphasised the need for SAICE to play a critical role in developing infrastructure in South Africa, with a focus on advancing professionalism, advocating for sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and championing excellence.
He highlighted the importance of partnerships, collaboration, and finding solutions to address the challenges faced by the sector.
Emphasising the need to move away from the idea of ‘What’s in it for me’ towards the values of serving others and accountability, he said: “We must continue our efforts in education, professional development and inclusivity.”
Outgoing president Andrew Clothier reflected on the challenges faced by the civil engineering sector in 2024, including ageing infrastructure, water scarcity, and the construction mafia.
“South Africa is one of the 30 driest countries in the world, and we are rapidly moving from water scarce to water stressed,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of investing in infrastructure to address these challenges and highlighted positive developments, such as Infrastructure South Africa's R30 billion investment in rail utility and ports, and Eskom's prioritisation of 100 energy projects valued at R240 billion.
During the inauguration, Takalani Netshipale received the prestigious Presidential Award for her contributions to civil engineering.
She was recognised for her commitment to driving progress in the field and her involvement in various initiatives, including the SAICE future leaders panel and the SAICE women in leadership programme.
Pretoria News