Hatch receives excellence award for pedestrian bridge in KwaZulu Natal

Canada-based international engineering and development consulting firm Hatch has bagged one of the Engineering Excellence Awards, jointly organised by Consulting Engineers South Africa and Aon. Specifically, the firm won in the ‘Projects with a Value Less than R50 million’ category for its Tugela River Pedestrian Bridge (TRPB) project.

In line with its intent to expand its operations in South Africa, Hatch has been rapidly gaining both popularity and legitimacy in the country. In terms of internal structure, the firm very recently attained level 2 status under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scheme, aimed at promoting income equality in South Africa.

Now, the firm has received plaudits for its business in the country for its TRPB project – a 180-metre-long bridge in the Maphumulo district in South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal province. TRPB is the first steel pedestrian suspension bridge in the Maphumulo district, and was essentially aimed at connecting the Mvumase community with the surrounding local infrastructure that it has been isolated from thus far.

Hatch supervised the project through its entire lifespan, starting with the initial feasibility assessments, through the design phase, extending all the way to the construction process. The project was eventually completed in July last year, and would appear to have achieved its main objectives.

Alongside the direct social and economic benefits for the community, witnessing the process of design and construction in their region has reportedly inspired an interest amongst the local youth to gain knowledge in the domains of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

At the 2017 Construction World Best Projects Awards, Hatch was given a special mention in the Professional Services category, and has now been recognised by Aon and Consulting Engineers South Africa as the best project within the R50 million bracket.

TRPB also gives hatch points in the community-building domain, given that the project was a part of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s pedestrian bridge programme, which has been established with the specific objective of improving equality of access across South African society, particularly in historically remote areas.

Sarisha Harrychund, Engineer and Project Manager at Hatch said of the achievement, “We’re proud to have been a part of such an important project for the local Maphumulo community. It’s rewarding when we can put our technical expertise to work on projects that bring about real, positive change for a community.”