Gratitude to our stakeholders for the invaluable partnerships, strong bonds, and friendships that continue to fuel our journey

2024 has been a year marked by national and presidential elections in many African countries, including South Africa. Election years are often characterised by delays in awarding infrastructure projects, and as our business relies on projects from some of the affected countries, this year has presented challenges we couldn’t have fully anticipated. However, we are grateful for how we rose to meet those challenges.

The civil engineering consulting sector has continued to face significant hurdles, including limited project opportunities, delayed payments, and heightened competition. Mariswe has felt the full impact of this environment but has responded by drawing on our governance and management expertise, ensuring we remain engaged and proactive in navigating these times.

Despite the challenges, this year has also been exciting. We made significant progress in laying the foundation for a more sustainable company, one that will better serve both our external and internal stakeholders. We made strategic investments that will propel the business forward, and we’ve implemented these initiatives with full commitment, looking forward to corresponding results.

We executed our strategy with relentless focus, strengthening key areas of the business and ensuring that our operations align with our overall goals. We did this as part of the strategic implementation process, with a key focus on sustaining the core business amid these challenging times.

Participation in the industry is incredibly important to Mariswe. Our team worked tirelessly to drive initiatives, including the creation of the Job Shadow Poster, which was awarded first place in the 2024 CESA Job Shadow Awards. While we celebrate every recognition, what truly matters to us is the opportunity to reach and inspire learners who are still deciding on their post-matric studies. Engaging with students as early as Grades 8-9 is crucial in encouraging them to choose STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects, offering them the opportunity to enter professions like civil engineering.

We also took the time to celebrate important occasions, such as Women’s Day, as we believe it is essential to recognize the invaluable role women play in our company. Mariswe remains committed to attracting and retaining women in the civil engineering industry. The celebrations were truly special, and the gift vouchers given to women were warmly appreciated by all.

Social events have been another valued initiative, providing opportunities for staff to build relationships and unwind. We hosted socials across all our offices, and they were well received by everyone involved.

Despite the year’s difficulties, we remained committed to our employees, ensuring salary increases and bonus payouts. Our shareholders were also rewarded with dividends based on the business’s performance.

Our longstanding clients, many of whom have been with us for years, were a source of immense support this year. There is no greater satisfaction than knowing we can count on our clients, and nothing compares to the sense of accomplishment we feel when we exceed their expectations. They understand that, as a business, we honour our obligations to them, and they honour theirs to us, which in turn enables us to continue providing more value to them.

This year, we also introduced a new service offering, Asset Management, and have invested time and resources into building this capability. Additionally, we’ve strengthened strategic and professional alliances, which we believe are essential for both the public and private sectors.

We’ve consistently invested in our Quality Management System, as we believe that service quality is the cornerstone of Mariswe’s continued advancement in the industry. Our QMS has facilitated valuable interactions with clients, providing the necessary feedback that we continue to improve upon. The responses from clients have been overwhelmingly positive, and we remain committed to sustaining this high level of client satisfaction.

As we wrap up 2024, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our clients for their unwavering support. We could not have achieved this success without your confidence in Mariswe.

To all our stakeholders, especially the trailblazers in the civil engineering industry, thank you for your steadfast leadership.

Above all, my deepest gratitude goes to the Mariswe team for your resilience and dedication throughout the year. Mariswe thrives because of you.

• Nonkululeko Sindane, Mariswe CEO