Women in Engineering: IMESA reports significant growth
The Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) has reported a steady rise in the number of women in infrastructure engineering.
Image: Freepik.
The Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) has reported a steady rise in the number of women in infrastructure engineering, with women now making up 30% of its membership, up from just 12% in 2005.
The figures were released this month as part of IMESA's Women’s Month campaign, which includes events across the country and a new social media campaign, #IMESAseesU - Women in Engineering, spotlighting the contributions of women engineers.
IMESA president Geoff Tooley said the increase was not driven by gender quotas but by a changing professional culture. “We’ve never implemented specific gender equity strategies or formal policies around this,” Tooley explained. “What we’ve done is build a professional home for all municipal engineers, where technical excellence, ethics, and service to communities are the common ground. Inclusion has followed naturally.”
Bhavna Soni, who made history as IMESA’s first female president, has been in the municipal engineering sector for more than two decades. She is currently operations director for the institute’s Young Professionals and Membership portfolio. “When I joined, female engineers were extremely rare,” she recalled. “But I had a passion for physics, maths, and problem-solving. Once I found my way into the municipal planning division, I realised I could have a real impact, especially in water infrastructure where the needs are urgent and continuous.”
Soni said she faced challenges common to women in male-dominated professions but was able to persevere. “There are always obstacles,” she said. “But I don’t take things personally. I believe in moving forward, speaking up, and persevering. Engineering is about solving problems, not just technical ones, but human ones too.”
Cape Town-based Jeanine du Preez, a long-standing IMESA member and current operations director of Marketing and Communications, started her career after a year in the South African Army Women’s College. She now works as district head for Urban Mobility, Roads Infrastructure Management at the City of Cape Town. “I had always been creative, with a passion for drawing, writing, and architecture,” Du Preez said. “Engineering gave me a way to apply that in the real world. It’s both creative and technical.”
She added: “IMESA gave me the confidence to speak publicly, to lead teams, and to step into more strategic spaces. It was not just about networking; it was about personal growth.”
While acknowledging the sector was once more male-dominated, Du Preez said: “I have never felt like I was denied opportunities because I was a woman. Although others may have had different experiences, I have found that most organisations strive for strong, diverse teams where appointments are made based on what you can offer. No one wants to get the job because of gender or race.”
Matseliso Fosa, a Professional Engineering Technologist and IMESA Council member from the Northern Provinces branch, brings a research perspective. She recently completed a Master’s degree at Wits University on strategies for retaining women in construction. “There’s definitely been progress,” Fosa said, “but the number of women in senior roles and on boards remains worryingly low. Representation is improving in technical posts. It is not happening fast enough in management.”
She added: “Organisations need to offer real promotion pathways for women, not just token inclusion. Gender equality must be structural, not symbolic. That includes fair hiring, respectful work environments, and targeted mentoring.”
Fosa said professional bodies like IMESA play an important role. “IMESA has supported me, and now I’m doing the same for others, mentoring my colleagues as they work towards professional registration.”