SAICE Annual Review 2023

The

for SAICE NPO and its subsidiary SAICE Pty Ltd

02 The year in review

FROM THE CEO'S DESK

02 Celebrating a year of engineering excellence

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

EDUCATION & TRAINING

08 Education and Training: Incorporating the SAICE Academy

MEMBERSHIP

10 Revolutionising member interaction with a convenient new portal

SAICE FUTURE LEADERS

18 Future Leaders Panel: 2023 highlights and achievements

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

20 AQUALIBRIUM: Changing learners’ lives one water competition at a time

22 International Bridge Building Competition: Showcasing bright young minds

MARKETING

2023 marketing and PR highlights EDITORIAL

The year in REVIEW

2023 was the 120th anniversary of SAICE, and I was honoured to be the inaugurated president on this auspicious milestone for our learned institution.

My theme for the year was let’s “Make Engineering Great Again – MEGA” and get infrastructure back on track.

In my presidential address I essentially focused on the relevance or value placed on our engineering professionals in the public sector. The trends in engineering capacity within the public sector over the last 15 years show that the majority of those who left were professionals between the ages of 45 and 60. They were replaced by younger less experienced technologists and technicians. This transformation has left an imbalance in the profile of skill sets that are required for effective service delivery by the public sector.

I undertook to do two things aimed at enhancing the relevance of civil engineering professionals in the public sector. Firstly: To use the Infrastructure Report Card (IRC) as leverage to target decision makers, highlighting the relevance and role of senior civil engineering professionals in the provision and maintenance of infrastructure and, more importantly, in the mentorship of young graduates towards professional registration. Secondly: To reinforce SAICE’s relevance as the go-to place for the decision makers and the public media, for advice, consultation, commentary and opinion on civil infrastructure, service provision and policy making matters.

On the first count, I believe we made a significant impact. I met with many public service organisations, focusing

Central University of Technology meeting with lecturers

Visit to the University of the Witwatersrand

primarily on assistance from SAICE with engineering capacity and mentorship.

In every one of these meetings there was an awareness of the issues that negatively impact infrastructure service delivery.

There was a willingness to participate in the SAICE PDP offering utilising LGSETA funding. SAICE PDP has followed up and graduates have been assigned mentors and enrolled in the road to registration courses.

I believe we have made headway with our offers, including through SAICE PDP initiatives, to assist with the recruitment of senior engineering practitioners to strengthen public service capacity for the roll out of new and maintenance of existing

infrastructure and to provide that all-important in-house mentorship and career development.

Time will tell.

On the second count, the SAICE Executive Board recently approved the establishment of a Sustainable Infrastructure Working Group (SIWG) tasked with embedding the research and publication of future IRCs and deep dive bulletins into SAICE’s strategy. This will ensure that we achieve our goal of remaining relevant.

In the space of 10 months, I participated in over 100 SAICE meetings and over 50 speaking engagements in the role of SAICE President.

I was invited by industry partners, political parties and media to participate in panel

Tshwane University of Technology visit

Visiting the University of the Free State

2023 SAICE National Awards

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

discussions or speak at events, live radio and TV interviews, as well as at national and provincial departmental sessions.

My focus was always the topic that is close to my heart, namely the current condition of our infrastructure and the relevance of the civil engineering professional.

I visited several of our branches and divisions, giving me the opportunity to connect with our young members. Their determination and savvy are a testament to SAICE’s service offering and the quality of our tertiary institutions.

Along the way, I met with many of our committed volunteers. I felt more connected than ever with the SAICE “family” and I was so impressed with how we, as an institution, integrate so comfortably into the local and global civil engineering “village”.

HIGHLIGHTS

There were three highlights for me this year which I would like to mention.

Firstly, I was honoured to be invited to the launch of the newly named SAICE Future Leaders Panel (FLP).

The speakers at the launch were the FLP Chairperson Dlozi Mnisi, Past Chairperson Michael Mhlanga, and Chairperson of the

Johannesburg Branch Ntombi Dube. The keynote speaker was none other than ECSA President Refilwe Buthelezi.

To say that I was impressed by their passion and commitment to the engineering profession is an understatement. Each of them spoke from their hearts, making reference to their personal life and career experiences to encourage and inspire our future leaders.

It’s this generation of professionals who will ultimately become the decision makers in the public sector and take the necessary action to remedy our failing infrastructure. It’s a huge task, but I have no doubt that these future leaders have what it takes.

The second highlight was when I, together with our CEO Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, and FLP members Dlozi Mnisi, Lorato Ntsie, S'thandazile Ncube, and Michael Mhlanga, had the honour of representing SAICE at the recent 7th World Engineers Convention (WEC) in Prague, Czech Republic.

Needless to say, I was extremely proud of our future leaders and how competently they represented us in this international arena.

While in Prague, we attended the World Federation of Engineering Organizations

WFEO IRC Working Group Session

(WFEO) Working Group and Standing Technical Committee meetings. South Africa is active in the IRC Working Group, the committees on Women in Engineering and Young Engineers/ Future Leaders. We also attended the WFEO General Assembly.

The SAICE and ECSA delegates were honoured to meet the South African Ambassador in Prague. This was an exciting opportunity for our future leaders to showcase their passion for the profession and their role at the WEC and within WFEO.

The third highlight was my nomination for the ABSA Achiever Awards 2023 in the Professional Excellence Category and making it to the finals. I didn’t win but, getting that far was a huge recognition of my work as a volunteer for SAICE and my commitment to the civil engineering profession.

LOOKING AHEAD

During my term as president, I visited several tertiary institutions and engaged with the faculty HODs, lecturers, student chapters and students. One thing I always emphasised to the students when I addressed them is the importance of

pushing the boundaries and becoming the decision makers of the nation.

I focused on encouraging students and young professionals to seek employment with companies or the public sector that have formalised mentorship programmes and rotational schedules to shape their career paths.

I am passionate about making a positive impact on our young students, graduates and professionals in SAICE.

The thing I enjoyed the most as the SAICE president was filling a mentoring and career development role, which I hope has inspired others.

I will continue to support the career growth of our younger members, by providing guidance and advice towards graduation and registration and encouraging leadership opportunities within SAICE.

In closing, I acknowledge the incredible support I received from all the SAICE National Office staff, especially Sekadi, Nthabeleng, Tom, Danielle and Sibongile.

Steven Kaplan SAICE President

2023

Visit with SA Ambassador in Prague World Engineers Convention (WEC 2023)

CELEBRATING A YEAR OF ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

Itook the helm as the CEO of SAICE in July 2023, stepping into a role charged with fostering innovation, collaboration, and progress within the civil engineering community. The past few months have been marked by a fervent dedication to advancing the field of civil engineering and strengthening SAICE's position as a beacon of excellence within the industry. I was involved in numerous industry initiatives in 2023, working on opportunities to enhance SAICE’s visibility and foster invaluable networking and learning opportunities for our members. Below I reflect on some of the highlights.

9 TH UNESCO AFRICA ENGINEERING WEEK AND 7 TH AFRICA ENGINEERING CONFERENCE

The UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and Africa Engineering Conference stand as vital platforms for celebrating engineering excellence and addressing the pressing challenges facing the continent. I was privileged to attend and deliver a keynote address focused on the critical topic of transportation at the 2023 event. In my address, I emphasised the pivotal role of transportation infrastructure in driving socioeconomic development and

underscored the need for sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions to address Africa’s evolving needs.

SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRANSPORT CONFERENCE

At the Southern African Transport Conference, I was able to actively engage with industry leaders and experts to explore the latest advancements and challenges within the transportation sector. While the specific insights gleaned from this conference are forthcoming, it undoubtedly served as a forum for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and charting the course for the future of transportation infrastructure in South Africa.

9th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week

WFEO CONFERENCE

In 2023, I participated in the WFEO Conference which provided an opportunity to engage with global leaders in the engineering community, exchange best practices, and gain insights into emerging trends shaping the future of the profession. As we await further details on the outcomes of this conference, my involvement underscores SAICE’s commitment to staying at the forefront of international discourse and driving positive change on a global scale.

SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM SOUTH AFRICA

The Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA) held particular significance for SAICE, as it saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between SAICE and Infrastructure South Africa (ISA). This MOU formalises a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing collaboration and driving sustainable infrastructure development initiatives. Through this agreement, both

organisations commit to capacity building, the development of infrastructure indexes, and the initiation of joint research projects, thereby amplifying our collective impact on South Africa’s infrastructure landscape.

VOLUNTEERISM AND NETWORKING

Throughout the past year, my aim has been to establish a steadfast commitment to volunteerism and networking, recognise the transformative power of giving back to our communities and forge meaningful connections. I endeavour to encourage all SAICE members to actively participate in volunteer activities and leverage every opportunity to expand their networks, emphasising the profound impact such engagement can have on personal and professional growth.

As we look ahead to the future, we are confident that SAICE will continue to thrive as a dynamic hub of innovation, collaboration, and excellence, driving positive change and shaping the future of civil engineering in South Africa and beyond.

Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane SAICE CEO

World Federation of Engineering Organizations Conference (WFEO)

Signing the MOU between SAICE and ISA

Education and Training

INCORPORATING THE SAICE ACADEMY

The Education and Training Department had a busy 2023, with activities in the training space in particular picking up throughout the year. A number of new initiatives have been launched and will be reported on briefly.

ECSA CPD

SAICE has been recognised as a CPD Licensed Body by ECSA and, as such, was subjected to an audit in August 2023. This audit examined the policies and procedures used by the Education and Training Department on behalf of the E&T Committee to process CPD validation applications. As reported in 2023, the Education and Training Department has automated this

system, which ensures that the process is paperless and therefore more efficient, and that all evidence is readily available for inspection by ECSA digitally in a SharePoint system. Following the audit, SAICE has achieved CPD Licensed Body status with full accreditation of our systems. ECSA commended SAICE for the system we developed, stating it surpasses anything they've seen elsewhere.

In addition to validating actual CPD activities, SAICE also reviews applications for recognition as an ECSA CPD Service Provider as an additional licensing body function.

SAICE ACADEMY

The SAICE Academy continues to build on

the progress made during 2022. We have been fortunate to have access to a number of Sanral-funded interns who are assisting with the development of new training material.

After the success of the first batch of advisory training videos on the ECSA registration process to assist members to achieve their professional registration, we have been working on an additional fifteen topics that will focus on each of the outcomes and other useful information to assist candidates to successfully register. These modules fall very neatly into the SAICE Grow a Graduate portfolio and further enhance the Academy’s collaboration with the various Growing Forward champions.

The Academy hosted a number of Support our Students webinars, aimed not only at sharing information with students, but also showing students the value of remaining members of SAICE.

IDENTIFICATION OF ENGINEERING WORK

The deadline for the implementation of the regulations on the Identification of Engineering work, scheduled for 25 March 2024, will now in all likelihood be delayed until 1 April 2025. The Academy has continued to develop additional guideline modules to aid our Associate members with their preparation to register.

The most notable event in 2023 was the launch of the

Maselulekane Programme, hosted by Business South Africa at South Africa House in London. This nation building project, which is a collaboration between the Engineering Council of South Africa, SAICE and Mentoring4Success, aims to address the serious backlog in registrations, particularly candidates who have been qualified for more than five years. What is unique about this programme is that it caters to multiple statutory councils, including ECSA, SACPCMP, SACAP, and others.

E - LEARNING

The Academy has continued to develop new training material for the online learning platform, although this is a rather slow process. We have been fortunate to get assistance from a number of interns who are being funded by Sanral and this is both increasing the volume of material we are developing, and our turnaround time. In the interim we have also entered into agreements with other training providers to increase the courses available, and the Water Division has uploaded a hydraulic structures course. The Academy is also constantly adding

a CPD course annually as required registration is a costly business that does not only entail the actual course fee, but even if conducted

https://cpdonline.saice.org.za/

Revolutionising member interaction with a convenient new portal

2023 was a landmark year for SAICE Membership, marked by the successful implementation of our longawaited Customer Relations Management (CRM) system, which went live on 15 June 2023. This new automated system has revolutionised how our members interact with SAICE, offering them a convenient member portal at https://memberportal.saice.org. za/. Through this portal, members can easily update their details, apply for upgrades, and access a digital version of their membership certificate. Additionally, prospective members can now apply for SAICE membership through this platform.

EXPLORING NEW AVENUES

As part of SAICE’s commitment to enhancing membership engagement, 2023 also saw the creation of a new position within the

membership team. This role is dedicated to strategically engaging with branches and divisions to explore new avenues for increasing SAICE’s membership. Oliver Rowe, who has been a SAICE member since 2009, was appointed to this position. Over the years, Oliver has been actively involved in various committees within the SAICE National Office structure, as well as in the Pietermaritzburg Branch and national Bridge Building Competition initiatives.

SAICE

membership by branch

Despite the challenges faced, SAICE maintained a stable membership base in 2023. We started the year with 16 003 members, of which 7 913 were in good standing, and ended 2023 with 15 588 members, of which 7 769 members were in good standing, including over 1 600 student members.

SAICE is dedicated to expanding membership across all categories and enhancing learning and networking offerings, particularly through our branches and divisions, as we strive to be the home for all civil engineering practitioners.

SAICE membership by branch

SAICE FUTURE LEADERS

TACHIEVEMENTS 2023 highlights and

he year 2023 was a pivotal one, highlighting the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders, government entities, and educational institutions to drive progress and the development of young people in our country.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected people’s ability to meet and engage in order to develop the industry and create an environment for skills transfer, the strategy for 2023 focused on increasing physical contact between branches, divisions and student chapters. The Panel saw a great uptake from members involved in events and an increase in members volunteering within their branches.

The panel focused on the following goal items for the 2023 year:

• Encourage professional registration of young members who are eligible to register with their relevant councils in relation to the Identification of Engineering Work policy.

• Reach out to students and young professionals using various platforms to create networking opportunities, and ensure that there is sufficient reporting and coverage of these events.

• Continue to share knowledge with young people within and across the borders of South Africa, and ensure that their voices are heard, building on the momentum that was created in 2022 to grow relationships with international organisations.

RE - BRANDING CAMPAIGN

The SAICE Young Members Panel was officially relaunched as the SAICE Future Leaders Panel in 2023. As part of a rebranding campaign, the Panel unveiled a new logo and website to better reflect its brand and identity. This was revealed at the Panel’s official relaunch in May 2023.

The logo was inspired by the four pillars that represent the Panel, namely:

Unity | Support | Development | Professionalism

The theme for 2023, “Engineering the Future Today”, sought to inspire young engineers to embrace their roles as change agents, and to catalyse transformative

SAICE Future Leaders launch event on 26 May 2023

SAICE FUTURE LEADERS PANEL COMMITTEE

Tom McKune SAICE Staff

Noel Dube Panel Member

Sharon Mugeri SAICE Staff

Khethelo Mhlanga Panel Member

Nonhlanhla Sithole Panel Member

Shirley Mokgadi Panel Member

Bandlakazi Potwana Panel Member

Erin Da Silva Panel Member

Dlozi Mnisi Chairperson

Victor Chiyaba Vice Chairperson

Michael Mhlanga Immediate Past Chair

Refilwe Lesufi SAICE Vice-President

Jimen Reddy Panel Member

Kabelo Mokoka Panel Member

Shivam Sukhnandan Panel Member

Thapelo Molaudzi Panel Member

SAICE FUTURE LEADERS

initiatives that contribute to building a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable world for future generations.

GROWING FORWARD STRATEGY PILLARS

Under the SAICE SOS and SAICE STAR Growing Forward pillars, the Panel has made great efforts to support students and young professionals.

SAICE SOS activities

Monthly CPD-accredited webinars and virtual site visits were organised, drawing enthusiastic participation from both students and working professionals. This innovative approach proved highly effective, offering members unique insights into projects they would not otherwise have been exposed to.

SAICE STAR activities

This pillar is aimed at creating awareness of STEM fields at school level by educating pupils on the importance of STEM and exposing them to the various career opportunities available within the profession. This was achieved through several very successful school visits across the country, and the Panel plans to increase these engagements in the years to come.

CONCLUSION

The Panel is committed to building on the momentum and lessons learnt in 2023 to ensure that more student and young professional members are exposed to the benefits offered by SAICE and supported throughout their career development. The success of 2023 was marked by increased industry recognition and advocacy to encourage youth involvement and mentorship. We look forward to the year to come as we focus on building a stronger connection with our members and industry stakeholders.

SAICE FLP roadshows

SAICE STAR career exhibitions

2023 FLP ACTIVITIES

QUARTER 1

World Engineering Day – 4 March 2023

The FLP encouraged SAICE young members to recognise World Engineering Day as a day where they celebrate and take advantage of leadership opportunities within their workspaces and ensure that they design and advocate for more sustainable infrastructure developments.

Cape Town FLP Roadshow – 6 March 2023

The FLP planned to host a roadshow at the universities in the Western Cape as part of the Western Cape branch presidential visit. Unfortunately, the roadshow was not a success because the Panel could not find a member to present the programme in time. The Panel will try to organise another roadshow in the Western Cape.

UJ Civils Engineering Industry Breakfast –15 March 2023

The FLP supported the UJ Civils APK Student Chapter by attending their Industry Breakfast to get industry recognition and sponsorship for their events.

GIBS: Energy, Economy, and Infrastructure for Business Success Conference – 23 March 2023

The FLP attended the GIBS: Energy, Economy, and Infrastructure for Business Success Conference

together with the SAICE President as he presented the 2023 Infrastructure Report Card (IRC).

SAICE Civil Talk – Redefining Human Settlements through Mega City Developments

The FLP was invited to participate at the SAICE Civil Talk and the FLP Chairperson presented at the webinar on the topic “Redefining Human Settlements through Mega City Developments”.

QUARTER 2

2023 National IP Showdown – 4 April 2023

The FLP was invited to participate in arranging the National IP Showdown, and the FLP chairperson acted as MC at the event.

CESA

Free State YPF Leadership Seminar

The FLP Chair was invited to present at the CESA Free State YPF Leadership Seminar about opportunities of development for young professionals.

SAICE

Future Leaders Panel Launch – 26 May 2023

The Panel hosted the re-launch of the FLP and received a keynote address from ECSA President Refilwe Buthelezi.

TUT

Roadshow – 26 May 2023

The Panel, together with the Pretoria Branch and TUT

SANRAL Innovation Challenge

SAICE FUTURE LEADERS

Student Chapter, hosted a roadshow at the Tshwane University of Technology.

CESA YPF & SAICE FLP initiative: 67 minutes of engineering mentorship – 15 June 2023

The FLP together with CESA YPF hosted a webinar for high school learners and university students on mentorship and career development.

Youth Month Schools Infrastructure Assessment Initiative – 20 June 2023

The FLP teamed up with BBCBE youth, SAICE

Johannesburg Branch, South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) youth, CESA YPF, Engineering Council of South Africa, Gauteng Department: Infrastructure Development and SA Parliament to do structural assessments of the Technical High School Langlaagte and Riverlea High School with aims to refurbish parts of the schools. This is an ongoing project, and potential doners are being identified to fund the refurbishment.

QUARTER 3

UKZN, DUT & MUT Roadshow – 27 July 2023

The Panel, together with the Durban Branch and student chapters hosted a roadshow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban University of Technology and Mangosuthu University of Technology.

UJ

DFC Roadshow – 04 August 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the University of Johannesburg Doornfontein Campus jointly with the Johannesburg Branch and the DFC Student Chapter.

Wits Roadshow – 11 August 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) jointly with the Johannesburg Branch and the Wits Student Chapter.

UJ

APK Roadshow – 24 August 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the University of

SAICE FLP at the Africa Engineering Week

UJFM radio interview with SAICE FLP

SAICE FLP Youth Month Quiz Night

Johannesburg Auckland Park Campus jointly with the Johannesburg Branch and the APK Student Chapter.

VUT

Roadshow – 25 August 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the Vaal University of Technology jointly with the VUT Student Chapter.

Women

in

Hard

Hats – 31 August 2023

The Panel assisted in planning the Women in Hard Hats golf clinic together with the Johannesburg Branch.

DUT

PMB Roadshow – 14 September 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the Durban University of Technology Pietermaritzburg Campus jointly with the Pietermaritzburg Branch and the DUT Student Chapter.

The 9th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and 7th Africa Engineering Conference –25–28 September 2023

ECSA invited the FLP to attend and assist in hosting the conference.

QUARTER 4

VUT Roadshow – 06 October 2023

The Panel hosted a roadshow at the Vaal University of Technology jointly with the VUT Student Chapter.

Wits

Speed Mentoring – 06 October 2023

The Panel assisted in planning the Wits Student Chapter speed mentoring event.

SAICE

FLP Cape Town Activation Drive –23 November 2023

The Panel hosted an activation drive in the Western Cape in an effort to get young people involved in branch activities.

2023

World Engineering Convention –11–13 October 2023

The Panel chairperson, immediate past chairperson and two young members attended the 2023 World Engineering Convention hosted by WFEO in Prague, Czech Republic. The delegation from SAICE was led by the CEO and president, and joined by a delegation from ECSA, led by its CEO and president.

World Engineering Convention hosted by WFEO

AQUALIBRIUM

C hanging learners’ lives one water competition at a time!

In 2023, AQUALIBRIUM, the SAICE Schools Water Competition, celebrated its 20 th year of making a difference in learners’ lives by exposing them to the reality of civil engineering and the associated career opportunities.

The finals of the 2023 AQUALIBRIUM competition were held on 2 June at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg. This competition affords learners the opportunity of planning, designing, constructing and operating a water distribution network exactly the way civil engineering practitioners would, encountering all the same challenges that occur in real-life civil engineering projects.

THE COMPETITION

The teams are tasked with designing a model water distribution network to distribute 3 ℓ of water equally between three points on the grid using different diameter pipes and connection pieces. They are then judged on how well they execute the task, working on a penalty

points system. The grid used for the water distribution network is on a background that depicts the entire water cycle with all the major impacts affecting this scarce resource.

This year the learners were introduced to the new, improved ‘academic’ sets, which include more components, proving a challenge for many.

The competition exposes learners to the practical application of processes that influence their daily lives. They are made aware of the intricacies involved in the design of water distribution networks and the actual delivery of water to households. The competition also creates awareness around reducing water consumption and spreads the message that water is a precious commodity that should be recycled, re-used and respected.

Through this annual competition, SAICE takes on the responsibility of spreading the news that water should be used wisely, that infrastructure should be maintained, and that new infrastructure should be

developed to provide potable water to everyone in South Africa.

AQUALIBRIUM also strengthens government’s initiatives aimed at encouraging learners to take mathematics and science at school and to follow a career as a science or civil engineering practitioner.

2023 WINNERS

Regional winners came from as far as Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Eswatini, Harrismith, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg, Polokwane and Secunda to take on the teams from Johannesburg and Pretoria.

After some tense moments during the construction of the water distribution network and the adjudication process, the team from Eunice High School in Bloemfontein, comprising Rosalie Gordon, Caitlin van Reenen and Tasmin Jordaan, was announced as the winner, with only 48 penalty points.

In the second place was the team from St Charles College in Pietermaritzburg, with team members Daniel Gurney, Thandolwethu Zama and Jonathan Oberholzer, who received 96 penalty points.

In third place, with 98 penalty points, was the team from Pietersburg Hoërskool in Polokwane, comprising

DID YOU KNOW?

All three members of the 2016 finalist team from Winnie Mandela Secondary School in Tembisa went on to study civil engineering at the University of Pretoria.

This highlights the value of the competition which has led so many learners, especially from rural areas and townships, to study civil engineering and, at the same time, make a difference to the priority scarce skills situation in South Africa and the lives of many people.

The winning teams each received a substantial cash prize, and their educators received a token of appreciation for their enthusiasm, involvement and support. The participants also had the opportunity to discover the treasures of the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, where mathematics and science is key.

SAICE thanks the sponsors Sci-Bono, Sanlam, Stewarts & Lloyds, MPAMOT, Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates, and the SAICE Water Engineering Division, without which the competition would not have been possible.

Edward Jansen van Rensburg, Jaco Willemse and Henk van der Merwe.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

FINALS OF THE SAICE NATIONAL BRIDGE BUILDING COMPETITION 2023

SAICE’s 31st annual National Bridge building Competition took place on 25 August 2023 in Midrand, Gauteng, bringing together thirteen schools from around the country to compete for the prestigious Bridge Building trophy. This year’s event was proudly sponsored by WBHO, BVi, Richem and Formscaff.

SAICE initiated the bridge building competition in 1991 as a tool to further high school learners’ use of mathematics and science in an engineering context to create a better understanding of civil engineering with the intention of growing the profession. It has since become an enormous success and is enjoyed by learners across the country.

The competition brings together learners from previously disadvantaged rural schools, former model C schools and private schools and provides not only a career guidance opportunity but also an opportunity to build bridges between race and gender.

The National Bridge Building Competition finals brings together the winners of local bridge building competitions held by SAICE’s branches all around the country. The schools competing in this year’s nationals were Hoërskool Jim Fouché from Bloemfontein, Hoërskool Grens from Amathola, HTS Tom Naudé from Limpopo, HTS Daniël Pienaar from Algoa, Hoërskool Pretoria-Noord from Pretoria, Brakenfell High School from Western Cape (the 2022 winners), Domino Servite School from Pietermaritzburg, Hoërskool Sarel Cilliers from Drakensberg, Hoërskool Secunda from Highveld, Durban High School from Durban, Boitumelong Senior

Secondary School from Johannesburg, HTS Kimberly from Kimberly and Jerusalem High School from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

This year also featured a team from the Tshwane University of Technology, representing the University’s Civil Engineering Department and SAICE Student Chapter. Having never constructed a bridge in such a manner or competed in such a competition, they gave their best, but were sadly no match for the calibre of school learners in the room. They had a great time and have challenged other student chapters to get involved in the future.

THE NITTY- GRITTY

The day started with a ‘tender briefing’ to introduce the bridge specification. The specifications change each year, and this time focused on an historic steel truss bridge, in desperate need of attention, that spans the Magalies River (GPS position 25º 46’ 27” S27º 46’ 12” E).

This was followed by 6.5 hours of intense construction, using the 25 pine sticks (600 mm long and 4 mm square), tube of super glue (Richem CA 40) and string supplied. Roland Westgate from glue sponsor RiChem spoke to each team individually to provide information on the glue and the best way to use it.

By lunch time the three-dimensional structures were starting to take shape, but as time ran out stress levels increased. Tools were downed at 15:30, followed by an exhaustive adjudication process by the panel of engineering experts who gave each bridge a score based on design, specification correctness and aesthetics.

The judging is followed by a nerve-racking testing of the completed bridges to determine their load-bearing ability. No bridge goes unbroken as each bridge is tested to failure on the rig to determine its ultimate limit state – its greatest load.

Every year the learners are warned about the importance of maximum strength to minimum self-weight, as the formula used to derive the final score considers the bridge’s strength-toweight ratio. This year, this aspect resulted in the bridge carrying the greatest load being awarded second place due to its heavier self-weight.

THE WINNERS

The winning school for 2023 was Hoërskool Sarel Cilliers, comprising team members

Adriaan Terblanche, Sibongumensi Mthelhwa and Ziphozonke Nkabinde. Their bridge weighed 157.5 g and carried a weight of 110.1 kg. Their aesthetics score awarded through the adjudication process was 24.5, giving them a total score of 157.1.

Domino Servite School, with team members

Tom Joubert, Benjamin Tschudi and Noah Vogel, came second with a bridge weighing 164.5 g, carrying a weight of 111.7 kg. Their aesthetics score was 27, giving them a total score of 154.1. This was possibly one of the closest outcomes in the National Bridge Building competition’s history.

HTS Kimberley, with team members Kago Dirapedi, Tony Bristow and Moegammet Jacobs, took third place with a bridge weighing 162.8 g, carrying 96.6 kg before breaking. Their

aesthetics score was 27.5, giving them a final score of 135.

A team comprising this year’s sponsors was also given the opportunity to compete head-tohead with the learners. They showed incredible teamwork and produced a bridge that saw them place 9th overall.

During the prize giving SAICE CEO Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane encouraged the learners to consider civil engineering as a career path, as they could contribute immensely to the development of service infrastructure and communities in South Africa. She also gave a brief description of her journey as a civil engineer and the importance of civil engineering to a country. Many of South Africa’s current engineers got their first taste of civil engineering from this important competition.

The 2023 national competition was a huge success thanks to sponsors WBHO, BVi, Richem and Formscaff, as well as Memory Scheepers, Special Project and Career Guidance at SAICE, whose relentless efforts make the event the success that it is.

“We would like to take this opportunity to invite our SAICE family to get involved, whether through sponsorship, involvement on the day or simple words of encouragement. Remember the competition isn’t just a National Office engagement but takes place in all of our SAICE branches around the country, and involvement in those competition is always appreciated. To our local branches, a huge thank you for all your efforts,” says Oliver Rowe, SAICE Head of Membership.

MARKETING PR HIGHLIGHTS AND

As we reflect on the year 2023, the Marketing and PR team is thrilled to share the remarkable journey the year has been. It has been a year of growth in the team, and innovation in the way we apply our services to ultimately harness and grow meaningful connections with our members.

MARKETING TEAM EXPANSION

In 2023, Siyabuka Markeni, a student at the University of Johannesburg, joined the team as an intern as part of her public relations coursework. As of January 2024, Siyabuka joins the team fulltime as a Marketing Coordinator, bringing the Marketing and PR department to a total of three employees, all dedicated to ensuring SAICE continues to serve its members in the most efficient manner.

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

We embarked on our annual campaign and brought in a different perspective this year. Our “I am a SAICE member, are you?” campaign, has been a resounding success. The campaign was aimed at sharing member stories and how their journey with SAICE has progressed until now.

The campaign's purpose was to entice non-members to become members and to encourage those who are already members to become more involved within the SAICE structures, especially within branches, divisions and student chapters.

Our members are the cornerstone of our campaigns and the engagement with this campaign on social media and across corridors has been a true testament to ensuring we continue to grow forward together.

“MORE THAN A WOMAN” BREAKFAST

The SAICE National Office hosted the first “More than a Woman” breakfast at PPS for Professionals in August 2023. 50 female members gathered at this inaugural event and the programme and feedback received was encouraging and cemented the value of making this event an annual feature in the calendar.

President, Refilwe Lesufi (MD of Prana Consulting), Malani Padayachee-Saman (CEO of MPAMOT) and Nombulelo Nyathela from Infrastructure South Africa. Chairperson of the SAICE Diversity and Inclusivity Pillar, Innocentia Mahlangu, also presented on the importance of awareness and support related to diversity and inclusivity within the workplace and industry.

The breakfast was conducted as a discussion with a panel of established industry leaders within the built environment and was moderated by SAICE Head of Marketing & PR, Nthabeleng Lentsoane.

The aim of the breakfast was to engage in topics that were enriching for women in the built environment, and to provide encouragement for young professionals entering the engineering industry.

Our panel comprised SAICE CEO, Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, SAICE Vice

NATIONAL AWARDS

SAICE hosted the annual flagship SANRAL SAICE National Awards at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg, on 7 September 2023. The event was a resounding success with members reflecting on the time they had networking with industry colleagues and clients. To further add value in sharing member

stories with the institution, we introduced the SANRAL SAICE SERIES, a webinar series that invites a winner from the individual and project categories at the awards to come and share details on the value of the win and the journey to entering the awards.

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

The annual SAICE presidential inauguration took place on 24 November 2023 in Cape Town. Outgoing president Steven Kaplan gave a tribute that highlighted his year as president and proceeded to hand over to Andrew Clothier, the 2024 president, who welcomed everyone and provided the audience with a brief overview of what his 2024 theme would be as he serves as SAICE President.

The event was held at the President Hotel in Cape Town and saw the Western Cape branch, members and partners in attendance. Errol Kerst, 2018 SAICE President,

was awarded an Honorary Fellow for 2023. The Future Leaders Panel Chairperson, Dlozi Mnisi, and Immediate Past Chairperson Michael Mhlanga, were both awarded the 2023 President's Award for their efforts in ensuring that the voice of future leaders is being translated within the industry.

NATIONAL IP SHOWDOWN

SAICE National Office hosted the annual IP Showdown on 4 April 2023. The event was

MC'd by Future Leaders Panel Chairperson, Dlozi Mnisi alongside SAICE National Office Marketing Specialist, Sibongile Mamatu.

Representatives from various universities attended, and the top three winners were from University of KwaZulu-Natal (first place), University of Pretoria (second place), and Stellenbosch University (third place).

The event was attended by an audience of industry experts and students and was hosted at SAICE House.

CIVIL ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

Civil Engineering is SAICE’s official magazine, catering to the entire civils sector and covering all major civil engineering sub-disciplines. The monthly digital magazine is distributed to SAICE’s approximately 15 000 members, making it one of the most widely distributed magazines in its sector.

BY THE SECTOR FOR THE SECTOR

Civil Engineering is unique in that a large portion of its content is contributed by SAICE

members themselves, who, via the magazine, share experience and knowledge with their fellow members, ultimately contributing to the general body of civil engineering knowledge. Apart from featuring all civil engineering subdisciplines, the magazine also informs SAICE members about the Institution’s networking activities with other engineering bodies, its young members’ activities, its career guidance initiatives, and about developments regarding codes and standards. Other topics covered by the magazine include opinions on contentious

engineering-related issues, book reviews, dispute resolution, market perspectives, service/ product news, engineering history, personality profiles, and more.

FULLY DIGITAL

The magazine is funded partially by membership fees and substantially by advertising. Despite a tough economic environment, the magazine continues to receive support from its loyal advertisers and the sales team has successfully exceeded advertising sales targets over the last two years. This support, combined with a decision to continue with a digital-only magazine, has enabled the continued production of a quality publication.

KNOW YOUR SECTOR COMPETITION

Advertising support has been strengthened by the magazine’s Know Your Sector Competition,

which was introduced in 2020 to provide added value to advertisers by ensuring that all adverts receive attention. The competition offers readers a chance to win R10 000 in each issue by visiting the various advertisers’ websites (by clicking on their adverts) to find the answers to a multiple-choice quiz. The competition has been well supported and SAICE had awarded 38 lucky readers a combined total of R380 000 by the end of 2023.

AWARD - WINNING PUBLICATION

Civil Engineering experienced good participation and encouraging feedback from members in 2023. Notably, SAICE received the award for Publisher of the Year – Trade Publications at the 2023 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards, highlighting the high standard of magazine the Institution continues to deliver to its members.

JOURNAL SAICE

The publication of peer-reviewed technical research papers on civil engineering remains one of SAICE’s core functions, as it consistently adds to the body of civil engineering knowledge of which the Institution, as a learned society, is the keeper. The forerunner of SAICE was established in 1903 precisely to share civil engineering knowledge and experience. Those early meetings in fact consisted mainly of papers being presented to and discussed by fellow engineers.

ACCREDITATION

The Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering , which appears quarterly in March, June, September and December, is internationally accredited by Thomson Reuters Web of Science, as well as by SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) which hosts our journal on its open-access platform for scientific journals. The South African arm of SciELO is managed by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology. SAICE’s journal is now also (since mid-2023) registered with the Directory

of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), which is an extensive international index of diverse open-access journals. The aforementioned international accreditations automatically ensure accreditation by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

IN DEMAND

The online visibility of SAICE’s journal continues to attract considerable interest. For example, since the journal’s inclusion on the SciELO website in 2010, until the end of 2023, SAICE journal papers have been downloaded from that particular site 1 213 872 times. In addition, the

journal is hosted on the SAICE and Sabinet websites, thereby further enhancing its local and international visibility.

EXPERT REVIEWING

The production of the journal is funded by membership fees, while peer-reviewing and assessment of submitted papers are done on a voluntary basis by an expert team of moderators and reviewers, currently under the leadership of Dr Peter Day as Editor-in-Chief. We thank all our reviewers and moderators sincerely for the many hours they have thus far spent on this very important work.

2023 FINANCIAL RESULTS

SAICE’s audited annual financial statements incorporate the group consolidated financial position for SAICE NPO, including its branches and divisions, and its subsidiary, SAICE (Pty) Ltd.

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering group consolidated financial results shows a small audited operating deficit in 2023 with growth of 1.6% in total revenue, R36.71 million after cost of sales (2022: R36.12 million) and operating expenses of R37.43 million (growth of 12.3%) compared to 2022 (R33.32 million).

The “total comprehensive surplus” for the year is R2.38 million. The accumulated surplus has increased to R28.08 million.

Mazars was appointed by SAICE Council as the new auditors from 2019. We are proud that the 2019 - 2023 audit reports are unqualified

and want to thank all of SAICE's staff and officials for their commitment and cooperation in this regard.

Total equity of R37.22 million reflects an increase of R3.96 million compared to 2022.

THE “STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY” REFLECTS TOTAL EQUITY AS FOLLOWS:

• Group Accumulated Surplus R28 081 847

• SAICE NPO Infrastructure Report Reserve Fund R2 536 269

• SAICE NPO Insurance Reserve Fund R904 153

• SAICE NPO Special Purposes Fund R3 976 474

• SAICE NPO Patrons Bursary Fund R1 721 499

Total revenue from operations for 2023 is R38.48 million compared to R37.83 million in 2022.

SAICE NPO revenue increased by 1.8% in 2023 while revenue from SAICE (Pty) Ltd increased by 1.6%.

REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Book sales R3.1 million

• Branch revenue R1.4 million

• Courses revenue R5.2 million

• Division revenue R733 000

• Magazine advertising revenue R2.7 million

• Membership revenue (after discount and fee exemptions) R21.6 million

Membership revenue, after early bird discount and fee exemptions, comprised 56.2% (2022: 55.8%) of total group revenue. The early bird discount allowed, for payment by 31 December 2022, was

20%. Early payment take-up amounted to 12.1% (2022: 11.4%) of membership subscription fees, resulting in a total benefit of R2.94 million (2022: R2.72 million) going back to members.

Student membership is free and SAICE invested R1.12 million (2022: R1.65 million) in fee exemptions for our full-time student members. Students must submit proof of registration for every year to qualify for exemption.

The SAICE National Office Finance Department wants to thank all involved for their input which has contributed to SAICE maintaining a strong financial position. We appreciate the continued commitment of our volunteers and staff members.