David Leukes, the new president of Consulting Engineers South Africa, emphasises the need for translating policy into action in South Africa.

New CESA president, David Leukes. Image supplied by CESA

New CESA president, David Leukes. Image supplied by CESA

In a statement made to the press in Sandton on 1 February 2024, Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA) newly appointed President, David Leukes, emphasised the importance of translating policy into action ahead of South Africa’s State of the Nation Address.

“In anticipation of the proclamations that will be made by our country’s President in the upcoming State of the Nation address, we cannot afford to, for example, have a new Public Procurement Bill signed into law, which will in its current form, hinder rather than support the infrastructure delivery challenges we currently face,” he says.

With regard to achieving economic growth through sustainable infrastructure, Leukes emphasised the stronger need for collaboration between government entities and the private sector. He called for the implementation of initiatives and leveraging the skills present in the private sector for faster project delivery, improved resource allocation and enhanced overall project outcomes.

CESA is an organisation of member companies and, through their partnerships aim to assist in infrastructure delivery as well as the maintenance of existing infrastructure. No specific projects were discussed at the briefing, however.

Leukes touched on the growth of technology and innovation – such as Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) that could lead to infrastructure transformation and mentioned that this would reshape design, building and infrastructure maintenance.

Leukes rallied industry partners, along with public and private sector client bodies, to forge a diverse and collaborative partnership and to work together towards achieving a sustainable future.

Leukes hails from Upington in the Northern Cape. He is a qualified Civil engineer with an MBA from Stellenbosch University. He will be heading up CESA as president for the period of 2024 to 2026.

Source: CESA