SACQSP President Calls for Strong Professional Leadership to Drive SADC Industrialisation

Durban, South Africa | 28 July 2026

The President of the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP), Arthur Quphe, has called for stronger professional leadership, ethical governance and technical excellence to support Southern Africa’s industrialisation agenda during the SADC Industrialisation Week taking place in Durban from 27 to 31 July 2026.

The regional gathering, held under the theme “Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World,” has brought together Heads of State, policymakers, investors, academics, development finance institutions and industry leaders from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Addressing the role of the built environment professions in regional development, Quphe said infrastructure investment alone would not guarantee long-term economic growth unless projects were delivered with high professional standards, sound governance and effective cost management.

“Industrialisation is not measured by the number of projects announced, but by the quality, sustainability and value of the infrastructure delivered. Professional competence, ethical governance and sound cost management are indispensable to achieving the SADC Industrialisation Strategy,” he said.

SACQSP said the region has an opportunity to deepen collaboration between professional regulators, governments, universities and the private sector to strengthen the technical capacity needed to accelerate infrastructure delivery.

The Council also emphasised that infrastructure investment should create sustainable economic ecosystems by generating employment, supporting local industries, improving public services and enhancing investor confidence across the region.

Quphe identified several strategic priorities for regional cooperation, including strengthening professional standards and ethical governance, developing the next generation of built environment professionals through education and mentorship, improving value-for-money infrastructure delivery through sound cost planning and project controls, supporting the regional mobility of professionally registered practitioners through mutual recognition frameworks, leveraging digital technologies and innovation, and strengthening collaboration between government, industry and academia to address infrastructure skills shortages.

According to SACQSP, the long-term competitiveness of Southern Africa will depend not only on the infrastructure constructed, but also on the institutions, professionals and governance systems that support its delivery.

“The future competitiveness of Southern Africa will depend not only on the infrastructure we build, but on the institutions, professionals and governance systems that support it. Sustainable industrialisation requires trusted professionals working in the public interest,” Quphe said.

SACQSP reaffirmed its commitment to supporting national and regional initiatives aimed at strengthening professional regulation, improving infrastructure delivery and contributing to South Africa’s economic growth agenda, as well as the broader objectives of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy.

The Council said it looks forward to building stronger partnerships during the remainder of SADC Industrialisation Week that will contribute to a more resilient, competitive and industrialised Southern Africa.