Tshwane launches new engineering initiative to address skills shortage

The City of Tshwane has announced the launch of the Professional Engineering Programme, developed in partnership with the national Department of Water and Sanitation.

This initiative aims to address the shortage of qualified engineers and enhance municipal service delivery.

In a statement, the City of Tshwane said the programme is set to align with the standards of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and focus on mentorship from experienced engineers.

Emerging engineers will be paired with experienced ECSA-registered professionals to gain the necessary skills and knowledge.

This effort comes in response to a widespread shortage of ECSA-registered engineers, which has impacted municipalities’ ability to deliver essential services effectively.

Currently, Tshwane has large vacancies in key departments: 58% in Water and Sanitation, 53% in Roads and Transport, 43% in Energy and Electricity, and 42% in Regional Operations and Coordination.

The city’s engineering workforce is also ageing, with 70% of engineers aged between 40 and 65 years. The shortage is further compounded by the lack of ECSA-registered engineers in the city.

The Professional Engineering Programme will begin by integrating ten engineer candidates from the Department of Water and Sanitation Academy into key projects within the city.

These candidates will work towards obtaining their professional registration with ECSA. Additionally, 79 ECSA-registered engineers will mentor current city engineers to help them achieve their registration.

“The city will also partner with other metros such as Cape Town, eThekwini and Johannesburg to share lessons learnt and best practices in producing professional engineers,” said Alderman Dana Wannenburg, MMC for Corporate and Shared Services.

Wannenburg emphasised the programme’s significance in delivering services to residents.

“We are committed to rebuilding the city’s ability to deliver quality services to all residents and leverage partnerships with all spheres of government, including public and private organisations, to solve shared problems that we face. The city must strive to be a city that works for all Tshwane residents.”

IOL