Oh, what a night! This year’s ECA(SA)’s 2018 Presidential Awards were “the best ever” according to popular opinion. And, as National Director Mark Mfikoe predicted, it was “a night of celebration, laughter, love and a little bit of swag”.
The crème de la crème of the electrical contracting industry was at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre on 15 November to claim top honours in what the judges called “a close contest”, with single points separating the top three in some categories. The Installation of the Year – Industrial category was just too close for the judges to call, and the top spot was shared between Besamandla and Cato Ridge Electrical.
The ECA’s Presidential Excellence awards are all about honouring the industries’ outstanding achievers, who consistently deliver outstanding workmanship and set new benchmarks for the electrical contracting industry. With generous backing from 12 sponsors, the awards, now in their seventh year, showcase the outstanding work from South Africa’s finest electrical contracting companies and rewards young, up-and-coming apprentices.
Once again Brand Engineering and its BEE initiative Besamandla took top honours, together scooping five awards, to the delight of Herman Kriel, Group Managing Director: Installation of the Year (Industrial); Installation of the Year (Hotels and Hospitals); Installation of the Year (Office Blocks) and a clean sweep of the renewable energy categories, taking both awards for Best Contributor to Energy Efficiency and Best Contributor to Renewable Energy.
Edison Power took two awards and the company’s founder, Vivian Reddy was there to see Edison receive trophies for Installation of the Year (Retail and Shopping Centres) and Special Innovative Projects.
The ECA took in 300 apprentices this year and the National Director created a new category, Host Employer of the Year, to show the association’s appreciation to the ECA members who employed the apprentices. That award went to Tshepo Vincent Sello from Vinnie’s Electrical, who spends one day a week with his apprentices, personally mentoring them.
Lilly Maphangwa (Mvela Electrolights) won Female Apprentice of the Year and Zamani Khanzi (ET’s Electrical) took both Male Apprentice of the Year and Overall Apprentice of the Year.
The winners are:
Installation of the Year – Industrial
Winners: Besmandla (Illanga CSP Cable Tray Installation);
and Cato Ridge Electrical (Sumitomo Tyre Manufacturing)
Sponsor: Comtest
Finalists:
Besmandla (Illanga CSP Cable Tray Installation)
Cato Ridge Electrical (Sumitomo Tyre Manufacturing)
Cato Ridge Electrical (Ammonia Plant Upgrade)
Reliant Electrical (Carletonville Waste Management)
Edison Power (Chromtech Tailings chrome Re-treatment)
B&W Electrical (Gamsberg Mine Project)
Installation of the Year – Residential Housing
Winner: J Turner Electrical (Groenkloof)
Sponsor: Voltex
Finalists:
J Turner Electrical (Groenkloof)
Vyfster Elektries (House Nxumalo)
Installation of the Year – Residential Complexes
Winner: P J Booysen Electrical projects (Steyn City Stand 65)
Sponsor: Copper Development Africa
Finalists:
P J Booysen Electrical projects (Steyn City Stand 65)
J Turner Electrical (Casa Servaas)
Edison Power (Pearls Umhlanga)
Vyfster Elektries (Heritage Hill Estate)
Mabert Electrical Solutions
Installation of the Year – Office Blocks
Winner: Brand Engineering (Scuderia House)
Sponsor: Mufaro
Finalists:
Brand Engineering (Scuderia House)
Besamandla Electrical (Plattenberg Magistrate’s Court)
Edison Power KZN (Fort Hare University)
Installation of the Year – Hotels and Hospitals
Winner: Besamandla (Netcare hospital)
Sponsor: Nestlife
Finalists:
Besamandla (Netcare hospital)
Edison Power Gauteng (Time Square Maslow Hotel)
ISE Group (Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape)
Installation of the Year – Retail and Shopping Centres
Winner: Edison Power Gauteng (Soshanguve Southview)
Sponsor: Momentum
Finalists:
Edison Power Gauteng (Soshanguve Southview)
Duzicube (Checkers Hyper, Centurion)
JBN Power (Hutton Court, Hyde Park)
Reticulation Contractor of the Year
Winner: B&W (Gamsberg Mine Project)
Sponsor: Novare
Finalists:
B&W (Gamsberg Mine Project)
Besamandla (Ilanga Solar)
Besamandla (ACSA East London)
Cato Ridge Electrical (Project Sunrise)
Cato Ridge Electrical (Ammonia Plant Upgrade)
National Safety Award
Winner: Reliant Electric
Sponsor: Nestlife
Finalists:
Reliant Electric
Edison Power JHB
B&W
Brand Engineering
Best Contributor to Energy Efficiency
Winner: Besamandla (San Parks Project)
Sponsor: Schneider Electric
Finalists:
Besamandla (San Parks Project)
Besamandla (ACSA Upington)
Besamandla (ACSA Kimberley)
Best Contributor to Renewable Energy
Winner: Besamandla (San Parks Project)
Sponsor: Schneider Electric
Finalists:
Besamandla (San Parks Project)
Apprentice of the Year – Female
Winner: Lilly Maphangwa (Mvela Electrolights)
Sponsor: Brother
Finalists:
Ramatso Sibongile (Edison Power)
Magdaline Maila (Edison Power)
Lilly Maphangwa (Mvela Electrolights)
Apprentice of the Year – Male
Winner: Zamani Khanzi (ET’s Electrical)
Sponsor: HellermannTyton
Finalists:
Stefan Roberts (Designer Lighting)
Tiaan Cerff (Designer Lighting)
Zamani Khanzi (ET’s Electrical)
Overall Apprentice of the Year
Winner: Zamani Khanzi (ET’s Electrical)
Sponsor: HellermannTyton
Woman-Owned Business of the Year
Winner: Swatek Electrical
Sponsor: SA Electrical Contractor magazine
Finalists:
HUG – Hula U Gude
Swatek Electrical
Special Innovative Projects Award
Winner: Edison Power (Liquid Telecom, Midrand)
Sponsor: Major Tech
Finalists:
Edison Power (Liquid Telecom, Midrand)
GPA Elite (Mandela Gala Dinner)
Designer Lighting (Designer Lighting App)
Designer Lighting (BCMM Festive Lighting)
Apprentice Host Employer
Winner: Tshepo Vincent Sello (Vinnie’s Electrical)
Sponsor: Brother
Finalists:
Vinnies Electrical
DC Africa (Cape)
DC Electrical
Ally’s Electrical
M & D Elektries
Regional Excellence Award
Winner: Highveld Training Centre
The awards are the main feature in the November/December issue of SA Electrical Contractor that goes live on 10 December. A limited number of magazines will be printed and distributed through the advertisers and the ECA’s regional offices.
Article by ecasa.co.za