Government is advancing its plans to establish the Office of the Engineer-General South Africa, an institutional step aimed at strengthening oversight and improving the quality of infrastructure delivery nationwide.
Addressing the 15th Annual South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) International Research Conference in Cape Town, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala echoed the sector’s growing calls for tighter regulation and improved professional standards across the built environment. His remarks come in the wake of several construction-related incidents, including fatal site accidents which have intensified public scrutiny and demand for accountability.
“Our profession can no longer be confined to the traditional delivery of infrastructure,” Zikalala told delegates. “We must design, plan and cost projects with foresight, ensuring that what we build today can withstand the environmental challenges of tomorrow.”
He stressed that sustainability must be central to infrastructure planning while collaboration among government, academia and industry is essential for achieving inclusive and resilient growth. Zikalala also reaffirmed government’s commitment to infrastructure-led economic recovery, noting that more than R1 trillion will be invested in public infrastructure over the next three years.
