CESA reveals strategy and priorities for the next year

Following a change in leadership late last year, Consulting Engineers South Africa has declared its strategy and priorities for this year. The association will focus on engaging in ethical leadership and navigating the fourth industrial revolution, referring to the wave of digital advancement that has swept through industries across the world. 

Conceptualised as an industry union of sorts, Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) was founded more than 65 years ago to promote excellence in the consulting engineering industry. Today, the organisation has 540 member firms, which cumulatively employ over 23,000 people.

Member firms of CESA span domestic as well as multinational firms, which operate in the domains of planning, design, and project delivery services. In addition, the organisation also encapsulates small and medium-sized firms that claim their area of expertise to be in specific stages of the project delivery process.

Late last year, the organisation underwent a transition in leadership, both at the presidential and at the deputy presidential levels. The new president of CESA was announced as Naresh Pather, who is a Director for the region of Africa at consulting firm Mott MacDonald. Pather’s expertise lies in the transportation business domain, having gained 25 years of experience as a consulting engineer.

As Deputy President, CESA selected Sugen Pillay, who is the Managing Director of Zitholele Consulting. Both individuals will govern for a two-year tenure, and have now unveiled their plans for the next year.

Essentially, the organisation will embrace the rapid advancement of technology and digitisation across industries, with a focus on transformation efforts, innovation, and data informed techniques. In addition, Pather declared that efforts would be made to initiate planned programmes of employment, skill development, and more fruitful trade relations with other regional markets.

In his speech declaring the agenda, Pather said; “We need to ensure that all South Africans and Africans are given a fair chance to further their contribution to our continent. We need to allow for practices to address the imbalances of the past.”

He added, “As part of our transformation drive, we need to embrace both youth and gender equality so that we ensure the conversation on our future includes all participants. This is the only way we will be able to design a future that is relevant and inclusive.”