07/05/2026
SAICE-PDP is proud to be part of every professional registration journey
This month, we celebrate our newly registered professionals—recognising the diversity, dedication, and perseverance that have brought them to this milestone.
A sincere thank you to our mentors, whose guidance continues to shape the next generation of engineering professionals.
Read what our candidates had to say about their journey with us:
Edward Appiah
“I was privileged to be part of the SAICE-PDP programme, which played a meaningful role in supporting my professional development journey towards registration with ECSA as a Professional Engineering Technologist. The programme provided structured guidance, mentorship, and encouragement, helping me better understand the ECSA outcomes, strengthen my engineering evidence, and present my experience in a more professional, outcome-based manner.
I am especially grateful to Mrs Phathi Masimirembwa, who led the programme with dedication and commitment. A big thank you to Fred Fryer and the mentoring team for their valuable guidance, constructive feedback, and continuous support throughout the process. Their mentorship helped me reflect deeply on my engineering work, improve the quality of my submission, and build confidence in demonstrating my competence as an engineering professional.
Being part of the programme was a valuable experience, and I sincerely appreciate the role SAICE-PDP played in this important milestone in my professional career.”
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Sipheyena Nganase
Sipheyena’s journey commenced with SAICE-PDP in July 2020 as part of the CETA Candidacy Programme towards ECSA Registration Support for Municipal Engineering Practitioners. Being part of the programme was an alignment of his desires and aspirations to be a registered professional as prescribed by the Engineering Profession Act, 2000 and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) Code of Conduct. Being a registered professional affirms your professional integrity and improves your professional and career growth.
As he reflects on his journey, Sipheyena attributes his successful journey to hard work, experience, resilience and with guidance of his mentors, Philip Du Plessis, Pr Eng, Siphathisiwe (Phathi) Masimirembwa, Pr Tech Eng and the entire SAICE-PDP team who never gave up on him even when the journey experienced turbulence and hurdles. It is not often that one keeps their wheels on the road since he has been registered as a Candidate since 2017, this is further supported by (Soni, et al., 2021) that ECSA experiences a low conversion rate of candidates to professional registrations and there is a vast need in South Africa for Professional Engineering Practitioners to reach National Development Goals.
His registration milestone achievement was not reached without obstacles/challenges as Sipheyena’s initial attempt of being registered in 2025 was met with what he calls a detour as you sometimes meet unexpected road closures in your journey with advised alternative routes to reach your destination when his application for registration was deemed unsuccessful by ECSA. With that being said, “Friday the 13th” of March 2026 defied the myth of being an unlucky day as Sipheyena received a successful ECSA Outcome of Registration which deemed him a Professional Engineering Technologist.
In closing, he further encourages fellow engineering candidates to continue the journey even with run flats and spare wheels as its personally and career rewarding to finally reach the destination of being an ECSA registered professional.
This is said with high recognition and sensitivity that candidates imperatively need and require “Road Assistance” (Mentorship and Guidance).
“Swito Teka Nkarhi, Mara ku Fika Hita Fika.
Hita Humelela”
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Pieter van den Berg
“My journey towards professional registration gained real momentum in March 2025 when I attended the Road to Registration course presented by Dr Allyson Lawless. The course was exceptionally well structured, practical and engaging, and the interactive approach made the ECSA outcomes based requirements clearer. This gave me the confidence and framework needed to draft my Engineering Report in a meaningful way.
After the course, I worked with Mr Stewart Gibson, who provided guidance in refining my report and addressing areas where my initial draft had shortcomings. His feedback ensured that my experience was clearly aligned with ECSA’s competency outcomes. In the final weeks before my interview, Mr Gibson also conducted a mock interview with me, closely simulating the real interview environment and preparing me thoroughly for the panel. As a result of this structured support from the SAICE PDP Candidate Academy, I was successfully registered as a Professional Engineering Technician in April 2026, on my first attempt.
I am sincerely grateful for the role the SAICE PDP Candidate Academy played in guiding me through this process.”
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Nicolas Adriaanse
“The Road to Registration course was a fundamental starting point in my journey toward professional registration. It provided the essential framework and clarity on what was required to achieve registration, and it set the foundation for understanding the standards expected by ECSA. This initial step was invaluable in shaping my approach and ensuring that I was aligned with the professional expectations from the outset.
Equally important was the one on one support I received from Ms. Siphathisiwe (Phathi) Masimirembwa. Her guidance was critical in helping me understand how to link my practical experiences to the specific outcomes required by ECSA. She took the time to explain in detail what needed to be reported under each outcome, and her willingness to have multiple sessions with me ensured that my submission was refined to the highest standard. Her patience, professionalism, and commitment to my success played a pivotal role in my ability to finalize a report that met the necessary requirements for submission.
I am deeply grateful for the structured learning provided by SAICE PDP Candidate Academy and the dedicated support from Ms. Masimirembwa, both of which were instrumental in my successful registration journey.”
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SAICE Professional Development and Projects
🌐 Visit www.saicepdp.org for more information
📧 Professional Development – [email protected]
📧 Candidate Academy – [email protected]
