{"id":18111,"date":"2024-10-30T12:12:23","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T12:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/?p=18111"},"modified":"2024-10-31T12:13:41","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T12:13:41","slug":"harnessing-our-resources-for-sustainable-development-in-the-north-west-province","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/harnessing-our-resources-for-sustainable-development-in-the-north-west-province\/","title":{"rendered":"Harnessing our resources for sustainable development in the North West province"},"content":{"rendered":"

30 October 2024<\/em> \u2013 The North West Province branch of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) convened in Mahikeng yesterday, where CESA President David Leukes posed critical questions about the future of infrastructure development in the region. \u201cHow do we harness our mineral wealth for sustainable development?\u201d and \u201cWhat can we do differently?\u201d were central themes in his address, emphasising the urgent need for diverse and collaborative leadership.<\/p>\n

Leukes echoed an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” He called upon stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to unite in addressing South Africa’s pressing infrastructure challenges. \u201cAs we transition into a new era of governance, we must ensure continuity in infrastructure development and service delivery,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Leukes highlighted the critical state of public logistics infrastructure in the North West province, noting deficiencies in roads, railways, and essential services. He stressed that collaboration is vital to unlocking infrastructure development, stating, \u201cEncouraging partnerships can lead to faster project delivery and improved resource allocation.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also referenced Sempe Elizabeth Mokua, MEC for Public Works and Roads, who earlier this year declared the North West Province “a construction site” while appealing for community cooperation on ongoing projects. \u201cThis call to work together is critical,\u201d said Leukes. \u201cCollaboration is key to unlocking infrastructure development in this province.\u201d<\/p>\n

A focus of Leukes’ address was on the role of contractors in successful project execution. He noted that while contractor development is important, it is crucial to differentiate between nurturing new talent and hiring experienced firms. \u201cWe seek to work with contractors who meet rigorous standards essential for successful project execution,\u201d he stated. Leukes emphasised that reputable consulting engineering firms are well-versed in CIDB prescripts, ensuring effective risk assessments that minimise potential project setbacks.<\/p>\n

He reiterated that engaging consulting engineers extends beyond project delivery; it includes expert advisory services that assist clients in appointing capable contractors. \u201cAs consulting engineers, we are entrusted with protecting our clients\u2019 interests,\u201d he remarked. \u201cHowever, we often find ourselves brought into the value chain later in the project life cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

This highlights the need for the early involvement of engineering firms to ensure that projects are set up for success from the outset. The event was attended by representatives from member firms, government organisations, and media, all dedicated to advancing infrastructure development in the North West province.<\/p>\n

The event commenced with a CESA Young Professionals Leadership Seminar under the theme, “ECSA Road to Professional Registration.” The event featured distinguished speakers, including Godfrey Ramalisa from CESA, Nondumiso Thusi from ECSA, Orebotse Tlale from MISA, and Mpho Molete from DPWI. Their contributions provided insights into the journey towards professional registration and ethical considerations outlined in the ECSA code of conduct.<\/p>\n

Other guest speakers at the event included Booi Dandashe, the chairperson of the CESA North West province branch and Lereko Leeu, Director of Infrastructure Management from the North West Provincial Treasury.<\/p>\n

In closing, Leukes reaffirmed CESA\u2019s commitment to fostering collaboration among all stakeholders involved in infrastructure projects. \u201cTogether We Can Go Far, Even Further Than Our Most Ambitious Dreams,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

ENDS.<\/p>\n

\n

Media Contact<\/u>:<\/p>\n

Brindaveni Naidoo | SWM Communications<\/p>\n

Tel: 084 566 7459<\/p>\n

brindaveni@swmcommunications.co.za<\/p>\n

\n

CESA Contact details:<\/u><\/p>\n

Bonolo Nkgodi<\/p>\n

Marketing and Communications Manager<\/p>\n

Tel: 011 463 2022<\/p>\n

bonolo@cesa.co.za<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

30 October 2024 \u2013 The North West Province branch of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) convened in Mahikeng yesterday, where CESA President David Leukes posed critical questions about the future of infrastructure development in the region. \u201cHow do we harness our mineral wealth for sustainable development?\u201d and \u201cWhat can we do differently?\u201d were central themes in his address, emphasising the urgent need for diverse and collaborative leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cesa","category-press-releases"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18111"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18113,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18111\/revisions\/18113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swmcommunications.co.za\/press-office\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}