The Civil Engineering Contractor March 2018 | Page 37

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
level positions in consulting engineering companies. Within JG Afrika,
important changes have been made; for example, our board is now 60%
black and 40% female.
Really though, when all the ideological posturing is put aside,
transformation comes down to caring for the development of people,
individually. That is why we commit our CSI funding to organisations that
work with disadvantaged secondary school children who excel in maths
and science to prepare them for tertiary education. Transformation is
about offering hope in tangible ways that can change lives.
It is why we offer bursaries to those university and technikon
students who want to follow an engineering career, and why our
experienced engineers and environmental practitioners mentor
our young professionals, building the confidence and skills they
need to prosper.
In addition, we run in-house programmes to expose our
young staff to aspects of consulting engineering that they
normally would not encounter early in their career paths. We
work with them through all phases of our projects, sharing
knowledge and practical experience so that they have every
opportunity to succeed.
But it must be said that the issue of transformation is not
a ‘quick fix’ scenario. It is a systematic process that needs
management commitment to strategy and sustainability.
Sadly, we have seen the initial euphoria of our new
democracy declining as the living conditions of most people
have failed to improve, owing to lack of service delivery and
the stuttering economy.
As a significant contributor to the infrastructure
development and service delivery agenda, it is critical that
the consulting engineering industry continues to be viewed
as a credible role player within the larger South African
construction industry.
However, it is not only the engineering sector that has
undergone important changes since 1994. Change is also evident
in other components of the entire construction value chain.
The Construction Sector Charter Council can take credit for the
prominent role it has played in driving transformation in the larger
South African construction industry. Many important lessons have
been learnt over the years, and these are reflected in the revised
Construction Sector Code.
JG Afrika is now in its 96th year and fully committed to remain an
active participant in meaningful transformation. As a wholly-owned
South African company, we have remained true to our roots, while
progressing and evolving, as we keep pace with fluctuations in demand,
the industry, and our clients’ requirements — and a changing political
and economic landscape.
As the African proverb goes: ‘If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you
want to go far, go together.’ nn
Paul Olivier, managing director at JG Afrika, is
firm in his belief that transformation is an ethical
responsibility to undo the inequalities of the past.
Transformation is essential to address the
imbalances of the past and propel us to a
future that offers hope to all South Africans.
CEC March 2018 - 35