Dr Ralph Heath from WSP received the Lifetime Industry Achievement Award for his extensive contribution to the industry in a career that has spanned 40 years.
The winner of the Best International Project category was Bigen for Upgrading of the Railway Line between Walvis Bay and Kranzberg in
Now in their 53rd year, the awards highlight both technical excellence and the collaborative spirit and innovation that underpin long-term development. They recognise the projects, people and partnerships shaping SA s infrastructure landscape, while underscoring the fundamental role of consulting engineers in driving sustainable economic and social development.
Tower Structural Assessment and Repair Methodologies Project for Palabora Mining Company, Naidu Consulting for the Canelands Pipe and Pedestrian Bridge for the eThekwini Municipality and Pienaar & Erwee Engineers for the Radley Landgoed Microgrid and Hybrid PV Installation.
Roads Directorate.
In the mega projects with a value greater than R1bn category, the winner was WSP for the delivery of battery energy storage systems for phase 1 for Eskom. Commendations went to Zutari for the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone Phase 1 & 1a Platforms, Roads & Bulk Services for the Coega Development Corporation and Jones & Wagener for the narrow hot strip mill at Scaw Metals.
In the Engineering Technology and Innovation: Water Sanitation and Hygiene Design Excellence category, a commendation went to Ingerop for the Raising of Hazelmere Dam, for the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The winner of the Business Excellence of the Year award went to Bigen with a commendation to BVi Consulting Engineers.
In the projects with a value between R250mR1bn Bosch Projects won for the Vlakfontein Reservoir and Associated Infrastructure for Rand Water. A commendation went to Zutari for the N2 Slope Stabilisation Project for Sanral.
In the projects with a value between R50mR250m category, the winner was Zutari for the N1 Sinkhole Repair Project for Sanral. Commendations went to Jones & Wagener for the Rehabilitation of the Sinkholes on National Road R21 Section 2 Northbound for Sanral and Nyeleti Consulting for the Rehabilitation and Strengthening of National Road R504 Section 4 for Sanral.
In the projects with a value less than R50m category, the winner was Maninga Engineering for the Wits Roy McAlpine Adult Burns Unit. Commendations went to Knight Piésold for the
Bigen also won the Mentoring Company of the Year with a commendation going to Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates – MNA.
The Mentor of the Year is Tumisang Gabriel from SMEC South Africa with a commendation going to Dieter Storbeck from Bigen.
The Young Engineer of the Year award went to Tinashe Mukalela from AvenirHoldings with commendations going to Gisella Mulder from Hatch, Pierre Vivier from MSW Consulting and Imraan Akhalwaya from WSP Africa.
The winner of the Job Shadow Initiative and Poster Competition was Mariswe with commendations going to Knight Piésold, Zutari and Merchelles Collective. The publisher of the year in the daily news category was Independent Media while Creamer Media s Engineering News won in the trade category.
Supporting innovation that is helping to build a better SA
The Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards are a celebration of the innovation, resilience and collaborative spirit that continue to define and enhance the consulting engineering industry.
Cesa is a voluntary organisation of consulting engineering firms with a member base across the country of more than 580 companies and stands as the custodian of the wellbeing of the industry, supported by member firms who employ about 17,000 people.
This year, Cesa has pushed the agenda of Collaborating and Engineering for the Future We Want”. This agenda, said Cesa CEO Chris Campbell, reflects more than aspiration but also a shared responsibility to build a country where infrastructure transforms lives, protecting lives and livelihoods and enabling a thriving, economic and sustainable future.
“However, to build that future, we must also confront the systemic challenges that stand in our way, he said. For too long, our procurement processes have hindered rather than helped. They remain inefficient, riddled with legacy practices that undermine the very principles of fair competition and quality delivery. We know the skills and capacity exist in this sector what is missing is a procurement environment that empowers engineers to deliver what this country so urgently needs. This remains a key bottleneck in unlocking infrastructure’s full potential.” Despite these challenges, the projects recognised at this year s event are a reminder of what is possible. When engineers are enabled to lead, when collaboration is prioritised and when excellence is the standard, we see meaningful impact. These award-winning projects represent more than technical achievements; they are expressions of service, vision and the kind of innovation that helps build a better SA.
Cesa, he said, continues to champion the conditions that allow engineering to thrive. Whether through policy advocacy, thought leadership or by investing in young professionals and future leaders, Cesa is building a profession ready to meet the moment and the future.
“Together, we will build resilient, inclusive infrastructure that supports SA’s growth and prosperity, said Campbell.
Namibia for the Ministry of Works and Transport Namibia. Commendations in this category went to Knight Piésold for the Karowe Diamond Mine Fine Residue Deposit Project in Botswana for Lucara Botswana and SMEC South Africa for the Upgrading of Ha Mpiti to Sehlaba-Thebe Road in Lesotho for the Lesotho
Cooling
Sponsored content
Winners at this year s awards ceremony.
Business
Development group Bigen bags three wins
Its Walvis Bay to Kranzberg railway upgrade has revitalised a 220km section of Namibia’s core railway network
Infrastructure development company Bigen was one of the big winners at the Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards 2025, winning the best international project category for the upgrading of the railway line between Walvis Bay and Kranzberg in Namibia, the Business Excellence of the Year award and the Mentoring Company of the Year award.
Bigen is a black-owned African infrastructure development group of companies based in SA and Mauritius with regional offices across Africa.
Development impact is at the core of its infrastructure solutions.
The Walvis Bay to Kranzberg railway upgrade is a nationally significant infrastructure project that has revitalised a 220km section of Namibia’s core railway network, linking the country s main port to inland regions and neighbouring countries. The project plays a critical role in improving freight efficiency, boosting economic competitiveness and promoting regional integration within the Southern African Development Community.
Led by Bigen in a full engineering, procurement and construction management role, the project is an outstanding example of how engineering excellence, environmental responsibility and social development can work hand in hand.
Construction took place within a live, operational railway corridor, requiring
extraordinary planning, safety protocols and technical precision. Despite being limited to daily six-hour work windows, the team managed to replace the entire rail structure including tracks, ballast, sleepers and turnouts without disrupting train services.
Key engineering innovations such as temporary bypass lines, corrosion-resistant materials, decentralised logistics hubs and rapid rail delivery mechanisms enabled timely, high-quality delivery under demanding circumstances.
At the core of Bigen s success is a culture of continuous improvement, technical mastery and cutting-edge engineering. The company is committed to attracting top talent and nurturing their careers within the organisation.
Knight Piésold was awarded two commendations at the Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards 2025. In the best international project category, it was commended for the Karowe Diamond Mine fine residue deposit project in Botswana for Lucara Botswana. The facility is designed to accommodate the Life of Pit slimes production of the mine. Its design encompasses a range of engineering and environmental services including project management, data collection, detailed design, stormwater management, hydrogeological assessments, tailings dam breach analysis, seismic evaluation and geotechnical and
geochemical laboratory testing.
The facility represents a comprehensive, sustainable and cost-effective tailings management solution that supports Lucara Botswana’s operational continuity, environmental responsibility and commitment to global best practices in mining infrastructure development.
In the projects with a value less than R50m category, Knight Piésold was recognised for the cooling tower structural assessment and repair
The project plays a critical role in improving freight efficiency within the SADC
methodologies project for Palaborwa mining company HBIS. The firm was responsible for the visual structural integrity inspections, peer review and associated gap analysis, preliminary and detailed phased reporting and design, tender documentation preparation, construction quality assurance and quality control supervision and close-out
In the projects with a value between R50m and R250m, Jones & Wagener were commended for the rehabilitation of two sinkholes on the national northbound R21 road on behalf of Sanral. The
sinkholes formed within the road reserve, causing two slow lanes to close and severely constricting the traffic flow.
The firm was appointed as the consulting engineers, leading the technical design and construction management of the project. The project scope was divided into five key stages: assessment, geotechnical investigation, design development, construction administration and project close-out.
The team implemented a dual-stage remediation strategy incorporating emergency make-safe measures to stabilise the sinkholes and long-term compaction grouting techniques to improve the dolomitic residuum and reduce the risk of collapse in the long term.
The project addressed criteria spanning engineering quality, innovation, budget control, sustainability, social impact and more, ultimately showcasing a model example of complex geotechnical remediation within a constrained and sensitive environment. Jones & Wagener was a finalist for the narrow hot strip mill facility project, located at the Union Junction site in Germiston, for Scaw Metals in the mega projects with a value greater than R1bn category. The project is a landmark R5bn investment in the
Dr Ralph Heath honoured with lifetime achievement award
The Lifetime Industry Achievement Award at the 2025 Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards went to Dr Ralph Heath. A scientist with more than 40 years of research and development, consultancy and management experience –primarily in water management – Heath has worked as an academic, researcher at the CSIR, at Rand Water, as a global consultant and as MD of multiple local and international companies.
Since 2024, he has been serving as a strategic adviser and mentor at WSP. He was previously MD of the Earth & Environment business unit for WSP in Africa where he managed a team of 210 people delivering engineering and environmental consulting services to clients across mining, oil
and gas, manufacturing, power and infrastructure.
He has published more than 35 peer reviewed papers and authored 15 books on topics ranging from penguin ecology, ecotoxicology, passive water treatment, fish ladder design, environmental flows and integrated water management. He is a past president of the Water Institute of Southern Africa and chairman of a working group of the International Water Association.
Speaking at this year s awards, Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) president David Leukes pointed out that the theme of diverse and collaborative leadership remains central to the consulting engineer profession’s evolution. In every successful project, we see the power
of working together, across disciplines, sectors and generations, to deliver solutions that are sustainable, inclusive and future-ready. As engineers, we are uniquely positioned to help mobilise SA s sustainable development. But this cannot happen in silos. It requires us to break down barriers, to mentor and empower emerging professionals, and to create spaces where innovation can thrive, especially in the face of mounting infrastructure and climate challenges.
The sector s collective responsibility, he said, is to build a resilient, forward-looking industry that prioritises long-term impact over short-term gain.
Dr Nolwandle Mgoqi, CEO of Aon South Africa, said every project engineers take on, every design
they perfect and every challenge they overcome contributes directly to SA’s economic transformation and social development.
As professionals, engineers are not just solving engineering problems but also human and societal problems, creating opportunities, building the SA we all hope for. However, with great innovation comes great responsibility,” she said.
“Whether you’re designing a new mining facility, planning urban infrastructure or developing sustainable energy solutions, you navigate a landscape where technical precision meets regulatory compliance, where innovation encounters liability and where professional excellence must coexist with commercial realities.
