Engineers & Society

#1 Infrastructure matters ARE engineering matters
#2 Advocating for African Union's states to embrace Engineering & Engineers, and the future #EngineerGeneral

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@_HeRo112 @ChangingthingsS @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka 5/n in public sector infrastructure delivery. Unfortunately, I don't expect Chapter 9 institutions can combat the failure of current public sector delivery. Regardless of qualifications, current politics trumps expertise...

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

@andrewmerrifie7 @_HeRo112 @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka Establishing the Office of the Engineer-General (OEG) will strengthen independence from political interference, enable technical expertise to lead infrastructure decisions, and enhance accountability, standards, and oversight.
#engineers #Ch9EngineerGeneral

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

Engineers should consider adding law and/or public administration to their qualifications to be better equipped for public service and leadership in Chapter 9 institutions. It’s time some of us start preparing for these roles. @_HeRo112 @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka do you agree?

[Lazola Makalima @_HeRo112]

@ChangingthingsS @ECSAOfficial @wfeo @faeo_ng I spent 12years studying Engineering, which also included starting another Engineering degree qualification.

My qualifications are as follow:
1. N.Dip. CivilEng (DUT)
2. BSc AgricEng (UKZN)
3. BSc Civil/StructuralEng (NDP-UKZN)
4. MSc CivilEng (UKZN-Hydropower)

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@_HeRo112 @ChangingthingsS @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka 3/n the delivery process. Engineers, architects, quantity surveyors all have a role in delivery but their specialist focus does not necessarily equip them to play an overall oversight role. To illustrate my argument, I'd need to go into detail about different delivery models in

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@_HeRo112 @ChangingthingsS @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka 4/n much great depth... In a different forum I may have the space/time to do that. Having said all of this, given how miserably most Chapter 9 institutions have performed, I am still not sure an Engineer-General, or Construction Manager General, would be able to address the rot

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

@andrewmerrifie7 @_HeRo112 @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka Voters and courts alone cannot defend our democracy, that’s why we have Chapter 9 institutions. Yet the engineering profession was omitted. @AuditorGen_SA, @SAHRCommission, @PublicProtector and others must reflect on their role and impact in safeguarding our democracy. #fix 🇿🇦

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@_HeRo112 @ChangingthingsS @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka 2/n - many professionals play a role in project delivery but but for oversight, not specialist functions, I'd argue that Construction Managers, with both their technical and general management skills are perhaps best suited to be the Engineer-General since the focus is primarily

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

@andrewmerrifie7 @_HeRo112 @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka We advocate for an Engineer-General who is a qualified engineering professional with the right skills. A multidisciplinary team (incl. Construction Managers) will support the Office. The E-G must also engage effectively with institutions like @AuditorGen_SA @SAHRCommission

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@_HeRo112 @ChangingthingsS @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka let me cut this short - I was responding to @ChangingthingsS argument that an Engineer-General would need some commercial training if he/she were to oversee public sector infrastructure delivery. I was therefore focused on delivery related issues 1/n

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

Do engineers value independence from political interference?

🚧Yes — it’s essential for sound engineering decisions
🚧Somewhat — balance is needed
🚧Not really — other factors matter more
🚧Not sure
#AgendaForEngineering

[Sizwe Banzi @sizwebanzi]

@ActivistNaki @ChangingthingsS @DeanMacpherson @sziks @DepartmentPWI 32 years into democracy when you have thousands of black professional engineers , our government and big consultants and contractors prefer black token BBBEE instead of promoting deserving black engineers to lead the infrastructure development and built environment

[andrew merrifield @andrewmerrifie7]

@ChangingthingsS @_HeRo112 @DrMsiziMyeza @omtimka the BSc Construction Management degree included 3 years of law, accounting and general and project management along with all the subjects engineers cover. Such a graduate wouldn't be able to design a bridge, but they can do everything else engineers do in construction (and more).

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

@sizwebanzi @ActivistNaki @DeanMacpherson @sziks @DepartmentPWI Time to protect the integrity of the engineering profession. @cidb_sa @cbe_rsa @ECSAOfficial & @DepartmentPWI can lead, if willing. Public infrastructure governance & decisions must be guided by professional engineering practitioners, free from undue interference. 🏗️#RootCauses

[Naki_Eng @ActivistNaki]

The engineering profession lacks institutions resilient enough to withstand political pressure.
The calls by @ChangingthingsS deserve a hearing from the Minister @DeanMacpherson and Deputy Minister @sziks of @DepartmentPWI
#accountability #goodgovernance
https://t.co/jhBdYMyfZa

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

“Change is the only constant.” — Heraclitus

#ChangingThingsSA means engineers must lead that change - strengthening institutions, restoring accountability, and driving infrastructure delivery for all.

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

@sizwebanzi @cidb_sa @cbe_rsa @ECSAOfficial One of the binding recommendations envisioned by #Ch9EngineerGeneral, following audits, is that Technical Services Manager roles in local government be reserved exclusively for professionally qualified engineering practitioners #engineers with the required skills and experience.

[Engineers & Society @ChangingthingsS]

Fragmented accountability is failing the built environment.
A Chapter 9 Engineer-General is needed to safeguard the profession, enforce accountability, and protect livelihoods.
@cidb_sa @cbe_rsa @ECSAOfficial
#Engineering #ServiceDelivery #Accountability #Ch9EngineerGeneral

[Lazola Makalima @_HeRo112]

@ChangingthingsS @ECSAOfficial @wfeo @faeo_ng I speak this way because Engineering has always excited me. It was not fun at first, it is now…

I’m a product of multi-disciplinary engineering. From the Sydney and Washington Accord and I fall into the Dublin Accord.

[Lazola Makalima @_HeRo112]

@ChangingthingsS @ECSAOfficial @wfeo @faeo_ng It is upon the multi-disciplinary studies and training that one got to know and experience that some fields are extremely compatible, what other colleagues do from a theoretical and practical perspective and how they can always be incorporated into many Engineering problems to

[Lazola Makalima @_HeRo112]

@ChangingthingsS @ECSAOfficial @wfeo @faeo_ng I spent 12years studying Engineering, which also included starting another Engineering degree qualification.

My qualifications are as follow:
1. N.Dip. CivilEng (DUT)
2. BSc AgricEng (UKZN)
3. BSc Civil/StructuralEng (NDP-UKZN)
4. MSc CivilEng (UKZN-Hydropower)

[Lazola Makalima @_HeRo112]

@ChangingthingsS @ECSAOfficial @wfeo @faeo_ng We have Elon Mask sending Rockets to space, we hold PrEngs accountable to infrastructure…

Which PrEng as a World Organisation can we take to the Top to manage ALL CATEGORIES, manage project distribution and budget allocation and project timeframes…