The University of Cape Town (UCT) has invited the Road Fund Chief Executive Officer Mr. Nkekeletse Makara, to deliver a guest lecture to the final year Civil Engineering class, at the upper campus of the University on Friday March 15, 2024.

The lecture will focus on the regional trends in the road sector, looking at the ecosystem of the road infrastructure fraternity in Southern Africa encompassing different structures, organisations and their differing roles.

During the lecture, Mr. Makara will also address the main challenges related to road infrastructure in Southern Africa, also zooming into an overview of the road network in Lesotho; highlighting major successes and setbacks over the past decade.

He will further advise the students on the essential traits that a Civil Engineering Professional must possess in order to become a leader in the sector, the ethical considerations and sustainability issues relevant to civil engineering as well as the key research areas that scholars should concentrate on to address the primary challenges.

Mr. Makara will also share with the attendees his professional journey and experiences as a Civil Engineer and provide tips that would enrich the students’ minds and help them to better understand the field from an experienced professional. It will culminate with questions and answers on future prospects after graduation.

The lecture audience will comprise the UCT final year Civil Engineering students, staff members from the transport research group as well as the town planning department.

This is the beginning of a long term collaboration between the Road Fund and the University of Cape Town, yet to be fully concretised.