Engineering: issues, challenges and opportunities for development ...

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ENGINEERING FOR DEVELOPMENT: APPLICATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTUREof the economy. It is imperative that we do not continue tobuild only to permit decay. On the contrary, adequate budgetsand maintenance management plans are required for existingand new additions to the infrastructure asset base.The answers to many issues posed in the report are neithersimple nor easy. All the more reason for the public to be betterinformed about the serious decisions that must be takenabout our infrastructure and, where appropriate, to changeour behaviour.The role of civil (and all) engineering professionals as creatorsand custodians of all aspects of infrastructure has been placedat centre stage. The impact has been to raise the awareness ofthe public, parents, learners, educators and government to theurgency of the crisis (for example, in terms of the importanceof the education of engineering practitioners).Whereas the state of South Africa’s public sector infrastructurehas for some while been under the spotlight, there is nowbroad recognition that SAICE has provided the first nationalscalecredible benchmark against which progress (or not) canin future years be measured. There is broad consensus that theinitiative should be sustained and extended, but that at thesame time the independence of the benchmarking processshould not be compromised. The new Infrastructure ReportCard will entail an even more rigorous process, with greaterconsultation and finer definition of the process and particularlyof the grading.ShortagesTwo key themes run as a thread through all the grades:■■the extreme shortage of engineering skills and the impactof this on planning, procurement, design, construction andcare of infrastructure; andthe lack of adequate funding for the maintenance of theexisting asset base and the new assets that come on-streameach day.The consequences of inadequate maintenance are severe,affecting the quality of life and even the very lives of people,through outbreaks of waterborne disease, reduced safety onroads and rail, inconvenience and inefficient commercial activity.The allocation of maintenance funding is often thoughtgenerous at 4 per cent of capital cost per annum. However,such allocation is rare. Moreover, it is simply not sufficient,especially when it is expected to cater for a maintenance debtthat usually requires upgrading, repair or refurbishment. Roadsmaintenance that is delayed for one year could cost three tosix times more when undertaken a year or so later.South Africa suffers an acute skills shortage in the infrastructuresector. Just two illustrations should highlight howserious these shortages are, making clear the case for transformation:■A recent survey by SAICE showed that more than one-thirdof all 231 local municipalities did not have a single civil engineer,technologist or technician. Vacancies in local governmentfor engineering practitioners exceed 1,000, a figurewhich is not improving.While the link between engineering infrastructure and economicgrowth may be clear, it is not always clear that a similarlink exists with social health. It is obvious though that cleanerdrinking water, proper sanitation, better shelter, access to transportand electricity, all improve the quality of life. To millionsin South Africa quality may be equated with viability. Indeed,SAICE research indicates that, in general, developing countrieshave more doctors than engineers, whereas the oppositeis true in developed countries. The reason is obvious: properinfrastructure prevents disease and sickness. It is concerningthen that South Africa has only half as many engineers as doctors.By comparison, Australia, America, Western Europe andeven China or India have a similar number of engineers to doctors,or more engineers than doctors. Furthermore, the ratio ofpopulation to engineer in South Africa is of the order of 3,200to 1, twenty times less than in some of the countries just mentioned.Furthermore, the ratio amongst the white populationis approximately 300 to 1 – similar to America and WesternEurope – while the ratio in the African population is in theorder of 50,000 to 1, which is amongst the worst in Africa andthe world.■The case for transformation cannot be clearer.Impact of the report cardThe outcome was spectacularly successful. It was the first everpublication of a consolidated report on the state of a broadrange of infrastructure in South Africa ( or Africa) by a credibleinstitution, drawing attention to its condition and importanceby headlining issues in a manner understandable to technical,decision-making and lay persons. It provided the headlineissues requiring attention and a benchmark for further monitoring.Whereas the state of South Africa’s public sector infrastructurehas for some while been under the spotlight, thereis now broad recognition that SAICE has provided the firstnational-scale credible benchmark against which progress (orregress) can in future years be measured.The primary objectives of informing the public and decisionmakerswere achieved through the numerous live interviewsand presentations, print, visual and audio media exposure anddiscussions with client and sector organizations. Presentationswere made to government departments such as National© UNESCO/D. Evans Mine, extract crystals,South Africa.301
ENGINEERING: ISSUES CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENTFigure 1: 2006 report card for South Africa’s built environment infrastructureCD+HospitalsClinicsHospitals and ClinicsWaterBulk infrastructureMajor urban areasD+C+All other areasD-C+Eskom’s bulk generationand transmissionC+C-Eskom’s local distributionnetworksMunicipal distributionnetworks in urban areasElectricitySanitation andWastewaterMajor urban areasAll other areasC-ED-BMunicipal distributionnetworks in al other areasHeavy haul freightThe SAICE 2006InfrastructureReport Card forSouth fricaSolid wasteMajor urban areasAll other areasC-DCED+General freight being retainedUneconomical general freightPassenger linesRailRoadsNational roadsAll other roadsCD-ACSA-owned facilitiesC+ PortsAirportsBThe report itself is freely available on the SAICE website (http://www.civils.org.za).Treasury and the Department of Public Enterprises, and also tothe Transport Portfolio Committee of Parliament. The authorsand the Institution have been inundated with invitationsto workshops and presentations by all tiers of government,parastatal agencies and industry institutions. The exposurereceived by SAICE was the greatest it had received for manyyears, if not ever, all of it overwhelmingly positive. The credibilityof the Institution as a learned society with the authority,indeed the duty, to comment broadly on engineering infrastructurehad been enhanced. There is broad consensus thatthe initiative should be sustained and extended, but that atthe same time the independence of the benchmarking processshould not be compromised.The role of civil (and all) engineering professionals as creatorsand custodians of all aspects of infrastructure has been placedat centre stage. The impact has been to raise the awareness ofthe public, parents, learners, educators and government to theurgency of the crisis, e.g. in the education of engineering practitioners.However, in the midst of these positives, we needto critically analyse the shortcomings of the IRC2006 and itsprocess. These are combined with the aspirations for futureIRCs and the specific extensions and improvements identified.Future report cardsThe refinements and further development outlined below areregarded as more ambitious than can perhaps be achieved in302
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UNESCO ReportEngineering:IssuesChal
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This landmark report on engineering
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Executive SummaryAn agenda for engi
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ENGINEERING: ISSUES CHALLENGES AND
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Introductionto the Report
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INTRODUCTION© GFDL - Wikimedia - L
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1What is Engineering?
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WHAT IS ENGINEERING?and awareness o
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WHAT IS ENGINEERING?1.2 Engineers,
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2Engineering andHuman Development
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ENGINEERING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENTth
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3Engineering:Emerging Issues and Ch
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5Engineering around the world
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ENGINEERING AROUND THE WORLDnationa
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6Engineering for Development:Applic
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APPENDICES9.1Engineering at UNESCO
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APPENDICES9.2Biographies of Contrib
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APPENDICESopment of software for in
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APPENDICESwas President of the Euro
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APPENDICESous career in higher educ
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APPENDICES2002 and has led the deve
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APPENDICESKevin WallDr Kevin Wall i
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APPENDICES9.3List of acronyms abbre
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APPENDICESIAAMRHIACETICCICEICIDICSU
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APPENDICES212, 213, 214, 215, 217,
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