Global infrastructure leader AECOM was in the spotlight at the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) National Awards, held on 18 September 2025 at The Galleria in Sandton. The company won the Technical Excellence Maintenance or Rehabilitation Project of the Year for the Van Rhyns Pass Rehabilitation. It was also highly commended in the Technical Excellence Civil Project of the Year category for its work on the N12 Beacon Way Intersection Upgrade.

“Winning at the SAICE awards is extremely prestigious for us, especially for the teams involved in the projects and the transportation business. This is recognition of the significant and impactful work that AECOM undertakes in the local market and the projects we are involved in,” comments Managing Director Riaan Robberts.

“Transport Infrastructure is the backbone of an economy. The investment in such infrastructure is key to economic growth of regions, local communities, towns and businesses. From much needed investment through tourism, transport logistics and rural farming communities, safe and efficient transport infrastructure ensures that an economy can thrive and growth,” says Robberts.

“AECOM is always committed to engineering excellence and innovation in all projects. Being afforded the opportunity to showcase these is very rewarding and reflects the vision of AECOM to deliver a better world, as well as the values that AECOM espouses,” adds Michael Bouwmeester, Director – Transportation, Africa.

A key challenge on the N2 Beacon Way in the Southern Cape for client SANRAL, in collaboration with Martin & East, was the requirement for the access to Plettenberg Bay to remain operational, especially during peak periods, as this is the only access to the town.

“It required a collaborative approach from all parties to ensure success,” highlights Bouwmeester. As with all such projects, a key stakeholder was AECOM’s client SANRAL and the various provincial departments. “The confidence, collaboration, and buy-in from clients is key to successful delivery.”

Bouwmeester adds that partnerships are the ultimate key to the successful delivery of a project, be it clients, community, interested and affected parties, as well as internal partnerships within project teams. “These are all stakeholders at the end of the day. It is vitally important to ensure that all parties are striving for a common goal to successfully deliver a project. A successful team delivers a successful project.”

In contrast to the N2 Beacon Way, the key challenges on the Van Rhyns Pass Rehabilitation project for its main client, the Western Cape local government, in collaboration with Roadmac Road Surfacing, was the coordination of materials from a utilisation perspective and materials management.

“Overcoming the vast distance from traditional asphalt plants made this project challenging and set this apart from conventional construction and upgrading contracts. The innovative use of materials was a key and defining factor in the success of the project,” says Bouwmeester.

The AECOM projects showcased at the SAICE Awards both have significant long-term social and economic benefits in their respective regions. In addition, road safety is of paramount importance in all instances, from safe access and egress to a town such as Plettenberg Bay, to the safe traverse of a remote pass such as Van Rhyns Pass, as well as safe access to the Grabow area cut off through flood damage to key infrastructure.

“Safe travel by individuals and communities is at the top of mind while ensuring mobility is improved and local communities can function. By providing safe and easily accessible infrastructure we can support communities and ensure local economies flourish,” says Bouwmeester.

With local economies being uplifted through infrastructure provision and improvements, the regions that are affected by these projects will see increased mobility and safety to road users, community members and enhance the economic activity of the regions where works have taken place. This is over and above the direct benefits to community from the employment opportunities as well as small businesses to be involved in and contribute to the projects themselves, stresses Bouwmeester.

“Sustainability is key to everything that AECOM does, from the environmental side to ensure a sustainable environment and protecting sensitive areas and fauna and flora to the reuse of natural resources in terms of road construction aggregates, to the impact the construction has on the carbon footprint and how this can be minimised, are all considered throughout the design and construction phases of all projects,” says Bouwmeester.

Several of the projects that AECOM is involved with relate to infrastructure improvements to ensure that climate resilience due to flooding, for example. Addressing these challenges by considering climate and the environment are key to ensure resilience and robust infrastructure that can withstand these types of events.

Hand in hand with this is ensuring that the environment is considered to ensure that we make a positive impact on the planet, enrich the communities we touch and build legacies for future generations. “We embrace new ideas and develop forward thinking solutions that generate great value for our clients, our communities, and our people,”

With Transport Month celebrated in October, Bouwmeester says the aim is to raise awareness of how the sector drives economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental resilience. In all these projects, the three pillars of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental resilience are key factors in the success of these projects. “In all instances, these have been taken into due consideration to ensure that these are optimised to ensure that achievements and goals are met.”

Robberts concludes: “AECOM is excited to contribute meaningfully to the economy and local community through all projects that we are involved in. While prestigious projects obviously are front of mind, it is often the smaller ones that are the most impactful. This is the contribution that we can make to ‘Deliver a Better World’ that AECOM strives to achieve.”