THE JG AFRIKA GEOTECH TEAM
OUR SERVICES At JG Afrika, we provide a comprehensive range of geotechnical services, including site investigations, foundation recommendations, slope stability assessments, lateral support design, design of earth embankment dams and pollution control dams, materials investigations, construction material sourcing, and ground improvement. Let's meet some the team that is dedicated to serving you and meeting your geotechnical needs. Jan Norris Keval Singh Priantha Subrayen Thabo Hlongwane Byron Mawer Nkosinamandla Zwane Lunga Mapekula
NORRIS DIRECTOR - GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING With over 30 years of experience in the field, Jan Norris serves as the Director of the Geotechnical Engineering division, bringing a wealth of expertise to the team. What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? We are lucky that geotechnical staff get to see many interesting sites throughout our work but some highlights for me have been working on a copper mine in the DRC, a development for a housing project over an old landfill site in Galway Ireland, the Nacala Dam in northern Mozambique, Chapmans Peak Drive- Cape Town and the remote Lesotho Highlands. What are some of the highlights in your career? Being at the front end of projects and often being the first to break ground on site, highlights include working throughout rural KZN on water supply schemes which was very rewarding, working on a deep tunnelling project in London before I joined JG Afrika, the Nacala Dam project in Mozambique and the geotechnical investigation for Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project where we had to mobilize drilling rigs by helicopter due to the steep and inaccessible terrain. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? If you love variety, travelling, getting out to site and don't mind getting your hands dirty then this is a great career. You work across all disciplines and are often the first pioneers on site for a new project.
SINGH SENIOR ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST: ASSOCIATE What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? I have been fortunate to work in various breathtaking locations, including rivers, islands, and mountain ranges. What are some of the highlights in your career? One of the notable milestones in my career is my contribution to providing impactful solutions to clients and spearheading development in the renewable energy sector. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? If you're considering a career in geotechnical engineering, I would advise you that it is a specialized field that presents unique learning opportunities due to its niche nature. Keval Singh contributes more than a decade of valuable experience to his team. Kevals adds that When it comes to infrastructure planning and development, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of geotechnical investigations. By conducting these investigations, problematic ground conditions and other influential factors can be identified and delineated, thereby aiding in effective decision-making and ensuring the success of the project.
SUBRAYEN ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST Be open to the idea of travel, embrace geotechnical investigations for post construction. change and don’t shy away from challenging projects. What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? Some of my notable work locations include Inhambane, Mozambique, and Butha Buthe, Lesotho. What are some of the highlights in your career? The first would be obtaining my professional registration and being recognised as a "competent" person in the geotechnical engineering industry and the second would be seeing the infrastructure that I have undertaken the What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? Having accumulated 6 years of Geotechnical experience, I serve as an engineering is an everEngineering Geologist stationed evolving profession that at JG Afrika's Durban office. requires one to undertake continuous development in order to meet the needs of various clients and projects. Additionally, the diverse nature of the industry requires you to be dynamic in your approach to projects with the intention of finding the most suitable and cost-effective solutions to engineering problems. I would advise anyone considering a career in the geotechnical engineering space to understand that practical and theoretical knowledge go hand-in hand so, hone in on skills that cultivate a sound understanding of theoretical practices and principals which will in turn enable ease of application. Be open to the idea of travel, embrace change and don’t shy away from challenging projects.
MAWER GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER (INVESTIGATIONS, SLOPE STABILITY, FOUNDATION DESIGN, RETAINING WALL DESIGN ETC.) YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 7 What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? I have had the opportunity to work in captivating locations such as Uganda and intriguing rural areas of South Africa. What are some of the highlights in your career? Really chuffed with our Coastal Park MRF Dynamic Compaction Solution. Also getting my MSc in Geotech was a highlight as well SAICE Young Engineer of the Year Award in 2020. Geotech is still one of the pure engineering fields that rely on judgement on limited data. It is always going to be one of the best engineering challenges out there, but think What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? Know the basic theory of soil mechanics and settlement like the back of your hand. If you know the basics well, it makes life in geotech a lot easier! always develop other skills along with geotech that complement it.
Hlongwane ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST YEARS OF EXPRIENCE: 7 YEARS What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? I have had the opportunity to work in fascinating locations such as Beaufort West, Rustenburg, Bronkhorstspruit, and Alldays. What are some of the highlights in your career? Loadshedding continues to be a predicament in South Africa. Over the past 1 year and 6 months I have been involved in numerous renewable energy projects (wind energy, biogas energy, and solar energy). I am proud to be part of the solution towards loadshedding. I have been involved in numerous renewable energy projects (wind energy, biogas energy, and solar energy). I am proud to be part of the solution towards loadshedding. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? Network with people whom are already in the industry. Start early, there is no substitute for experience. Site experience is important even if you will be office based. You will travel to remote locations, being able to drive proficiently is critical. Be able to work with other people. Thabo adds: Have a clear career path. Having mentors is vital, however, be proactive towards your career. A mentor is there to guide you but you must spend time on your own to sharpen your skills (self-development). Always remember, your mentor was once a student/junior, don't be afraid to ask your mentor questions.
ZWANE (ALSO KNOWN AS ZWANE) Materials analysis and Geotechnical designs across municipal, roads and Geotech departments. What are some of the highlights in your career? Graduating from UCT with a BSc Civil Engineering is my biggest highlight. That step has introduced me to new challenges and great people. With a cumulative experience of 5 years, I possess diverse expertise encompassing mining engineering geology, petroleum drilling, municipal/landfill geotechnical designs. I also have exposure to investigating ground conditions for structural load suitability and analyzing road materials as load-bearing mechanisms. My primary interest lies in understanding material behavior under structural, civil, and traffic loads, specifically focusing on remediation and strengthening of weak soil/ground conditions. What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? A few interesting memories come to mind, from morning hikes up mountains in Limpopo for Geological mapping, to months on an offshore rig and desert storms in Egypt. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? Geotechnical engineering is an engaging and versatile field. It's the nuts and bolts of Civil Engineering, never a dull moment.
driven student engineer on the cusp of completing his Bachelor's degree by the end of 2023. With a passion for geotechnical engineering, Lunga is eager to join the esteemed Geotech team and contribute his expertise to various projects. What are some of the interesting locations you have worked in? I have had the opportunity to work on several projects located in the Northern Cape, Limpopo and Johannesburg. What are some of the highlights in your career? Making the transition from being an engineering geologist to a geologist/civil engineer has been quite interesting as it allows me to leverage. Obtaining my Masters in Geotech was a monumental achievement for me as it motivated me to pursue my undergrad in Civil engineering. Lunga Mapekula STUDENT ENGINEER YEARS OF EXPRIENCE: Two years working as a trainee engineering geologist and one year as a student engineer. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in geotechnical engineering? Have fun and don’t be afraid to fail. Be always eager to learn more and improve your knowledge pool. Remember that Geotech is a field filled with a lot of uncertainty and that there is never a one size fits all type of solution to the problems we encounter. So always take a step back and understand the problem at a fundamental level. Lunga adds: "I’m very eager to be part of the greater JG family and learn at the feet of our in-house industry experts."
Fleepit Digital © 2021