Public infrastructure in SA is at risk of decaying, and public works minister Thulas Nxesi and the state-mandated Engineering Council of SA (Ecsa) are facing legal action, says the SA Institution of Civil Engineering (Saice). Several structural collapses in recent years have spooked the engineering profession, leading to concerns about standards slipping in a crucial industry. Within this context, Ecsa plays a vital role — including accrediting engineering programmes, registering people as "professional" engineers, and regulating the industry. But Saice CEO Manglin Pillay says the new Ecsa council has been appointed illegally — which threatens to weaken quality and safety in the engineering industry. Saice isn’t alone. In all, 14 engineering associations (with a total of about 50,000 members) claim that changes were made without consultation with the minister, while there were also problems with the list of people appointed. Pillay says civil engineering infrastructure — including h...
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