Construction World June 2023

the international stage,” he said. “Only by keeping up with these global benchmarks can South Africa’s economy remain competitive and aligned with the expectations of investors and regulators.” In recent decades, the spotlight has been shone on various new aspects of consulting engineers’ mandate: not only must engineering structures be technically sound, cost effective and safe, they must also be environmentally and socially responsible. This has become part of the foundation on which key industries can operate at globally competitive levels. “It also ensures that economic development takes place within a sustainable and responsible framework – including complying with legal regulations and other compliance requirements,” he said. “All these factors contribute to building an economy that is inclusive and job-creating, while attracting investors through being transparent and predictable.” He noted that this had led SRK to build its expertise in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) field, including issues like climate change resilience, water stewardship, decarbonisation. Consulting engineers have also embraced the opportunities offered by digital technologies; SRK itself has invested substantially in its data science capabilities to enhance the application of its scientific and engineering skills. “Technology does not take the place of an engineer or scientist, but does give them more capability to find answers – and more quickly – to our clients’ various challenges,” he said. Despite the difficult economic conditions and the long period of underspending in public infrastructure, he was confident of an upturn. 

as independent experts are a vital economic pillar that underpins project quality and value for money, which are essential outputs for the public and private sector alike. “An aspect of consulting engineers’ role that is often overlooked is that they drive the implementation of global best practice in a range of sectors that must compete on

Not only must engineering structures be technically sound, cost-effective and safe, they must also be environmentally and socially responsible.

31 CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2023