South Africa’s Infrastructure Crisis Has a Silver Lining: Meet the Engineers Fixing It

Water outages, ageing power infrastructure, potholed roads and failing municipal systems have become a daily reality for citizens across South Africa. Behind the headlines, however, is a less-told story: engineers working across the country to design, repair and sustain the functioning infrastructure that keeps services running. This work is now being recognised with the announcement of the finalists for the CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards 2026.

“Too often, engineers are only brought into decisions about South Africa's infrastructure landscape once something has already gone wrong, for example, when a building falls down, or the water stops running,” says Chris Campbell, CEO of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA). "These awards are a chance to recognise the value that engineers bring to the infrastructure ecosystem in South Africa and beyond: the technical judgement, innovation, planning and problem-solving that keeps infrastructure working, long before and long after the ribbon is cut. Our finalists are proof that consulting engineers are not bystanders in South Africa's infrastructure story, we are indispensable partners in delivering it."

Dr. Nolwandle Mgoqi, CEO of Aon South Africa, the platinum title sponsor of the awards, says: "Looking at the 2026 finalists and the exceptional work represented here, it is once again encouraging to see the depth of innovation, ingenuity and courage these teams have demonstrated in tackling some of South Africa's most complex engineering challenges. Their achievements are a testament to the continued advancement of engineering excellence and the raising of standards across our profession."

Now in its 54th year, the awards remain one of the most established recognitions and a celebration of technical excellence in South Africa's built environment. Projects submitted this year span transport, water, energy, mining, residential, industrial and social infrastructure, reflecting the breadth of technical expertise required to plan, deliver and sustain infrastructure that serves citizens across the effectively

The finalists for the 2026 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards are:

• Young Engineer of the Year Award Category: Tarlia Gerald from Naidu Consulting; Pren Moodley from ROMH Consulting; Prinell Naicker from Knight Piésold; Uzair Osman from Bosch Projects; Marizel Pienaar from Bigen Africa Services; Sachin Ravjee from Zutari; and Edward Reynierse from SMEC South Africa.
• Mentor of the Year Award Category: Henk Aartsma from Bigen Africa Servicesand Magdeleen Rabé from SMEC South Africa.
• The Mentoring Company of the Year Award Category: Bigen Africa Services; Makhaotse, Narasimulu and Associates; and Zutari.
• The Business Excellence Award Category: Bigen Africa Services; BVi Consulting Engineers; Henry Fagan Consulting Engineers & Project Managers; Knight Piésold; Naidu Consulting; ROMH Consulting
• Projects Less Than R50 Million Category: Bigen Africa Services for the Pressure and Network Zone Management Project for Sol Plaatje Municipality; BVi Consulting Engineers for the Oncology Centre in Springbok for Vedanta Zinc International; Innovative Transport Solutions (ITS) for the Dennesig Transport Initiative for Stellenbosch Municipality; Knight Piésold for the Palabora Mining Company's Converted Stack Structural Integrity and Demolition; Naidu Consulting for Phase 1 emergency repairs to the Mbokodweni River Bridge –

B1176 B for SANRAL; WEC-Consult for the Upgrading of the Matjiesfontein Wastewater Treatment Works for Laingsburg Municipality; and Zutari for the Bethlehem Hydro Modernisation Project for Serengeti Energy.

• Projects Ranging from R50 Million to Less Than R250 Million Award Category: SMEC South Africa for Thembalethu East Reservoir, Tower and Pump Station for George Municipality; Bosch Projects for the Nelson Mandela University Science Centre and Digital Planetarium; Hatch for Upgrades to DR12732, Dr12733 and DR02541 Past the Tsolwana Nature Reserve and Internal Roads in Tarkastad and Hofmeyr using LIC for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport; Nyeleti Consulting for UniVen to Punda Maria Road - R524 and Cable Stay Bridge Infrastructure Project for the University of Venda; and SMEC South Africa for Clarence Drive Rehabilitation Project for the Western Cape Government Department of Infrastructure.
• Projects Ranging from R250 Million to Less Than R1 Billion Award Category: AECOM for R573 Moloto Road Section 2 Upgrade for SANRAL; Atana for Toyota South Africa Motors’ Parts Warehouse; MPAMOT for Maritime School of Excellence for the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education; Muteo Consulting for the University of Mpumalanga West Campus’ Great Hall and Chiller Plant Projects; SCIP Engineering Group for the Goudrand South Phase 1 of the Goudrand Mega Project for Blueprint Housing; V3 Consulting Engineers for the Ndabakazi Intermodal Interchange for SANRAL; WSP for K73 Allandale Road Project for the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.
• Mega Projects Greater Than R1 Billion Award Category: Knight Piésold for the Kareerand Tailings Dam Extension for Harmony Gold; MPAMOT Africa for Redstone Solar Thermal Power Plant for Redstone and ACWA Power; Nyeleti Consulting for N3 Cato Ridge to Dardanelles Upgrade Project for SANRAL; and Zutari for the Koruson Main Transmission Substation’s Detailed Design for EDF Power Solutions.
• Best International Project Award Category: Zutari for the Polihali Major Bridges –Senqu Bridge – Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II, for Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, in Lesotho; Knight Piésold for the Cricket Namibia High-Performance Stadium Project, in Namibia; PRDW for the Manzanillo Early Gas Marine Terminal Project, for Intercoastal Marine Inc. in the Dominican Republic ; AECOM for the Polihali Western Access Road for Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, in Lesotho; and Zutari for the Development of Catchment Management Plans for the Sezibwa and Akweng catchments in Kyoga Water Management Zone, for Ministry of Water and Environment of the Republic of Uganda: Directorate of Water Resources Management.
• Engineering Technology and Innovation Award Category: Bigen Africa Services, for the Emergency Refurbishment and Reinstatement of the Klipgat Wastewater Treatment Works for the City of Tshwane; and Calliper for the Turnkey Redesign and Replacement of the Seekoeihoek Bulk Water Pipeline, for Mogale City Local Municipality.

"At Aon South Africa, we are proud to support companies that hold themselves to these high standards. We congratulate all the finalists whose outstanding work is helping to shape our country's future, strengthen communities, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient economy and built environment,” Dr. Mgoqi adds.

Campbell concludes: "These finalists represent the talent and problem-solving happening inside our profession every day, often without recognition. As South Africa works to strengthen its infrastructure and improve service delivery, this is the expertise we need and these awards are one way we make sure that contribution doesn't go unseen.”

The CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards will be held on 20 August 2026 at Vodacom World, Midrand. Media are welcome to request interviews with finalists ahead of the event. For more information, visit www.cesa.co.za/awards/