Keynote Speaker, Mteto Nyathi, at the Proconics anniversary
By Simon Manda
This year marks a significant milestone for Proconics as the company celebrates 30 years of engineering excellence, bringing together over 450 employees from across South Africa to reflect on a remarkable journey and look boldly towards the future.
From Sasol Roots to National Leader
Proconics was established in 1995 when Sasol made a strategic decision to focus on fuel production rather than engineering and design. What emerged was a proudly South African engineering company with a clear mission: to tackle the country’s most complex infrastructure challenges using local talent and expertise.
“Proconics is an infrastructure project company. We support our clients who are operating some of South Africa’s national key points,” explains Melvin Jones, Group CEO at Proconics. “Our biggest assets as a country, and we help those companies improve and extend the life of their factories.”
Over three decades, the company has grown from its origins into a multidisciplinary engineering powerhouse with offices in Secunda, Sasolburg, Centurion, Durban, and Cape Town. Today, Proconics delivers comprehensive engineering projects across the full lifecycle – from pure design to complete EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) delivery—specialising in projects spanning 12 to 18 months for clients operating critical infrastructure.
Leading South Africa’s Energy Transition
Whilst maintaining and extending the life of existing industrial facilities, Proconics has positioned itself at the forefront of South Africa’s energy transition. The company is currently executing some of the country’s most important renewable energy and grid infrastructure projects.
A particular point of pride is an upcoming partnership with global technology leader Hitachi Energy that will see Proconics deliver sophisticated grid infrastructure to strengthen the backbone of South Africa’s electricity network. This groundbreaking project—details of which will be announced in due course—exemplifies Proconics’ growing capability to deliver world-class solutions alongside international technology partners.
“As we solve our energy problems for the future, what we’re going to start seeing is new projects come online that use that energy, that create jobs, that create meaning and create purpose,” says Jones.
The CEO is candid about the balancing act required in South Africa’s energy landscape: “We’ve got 100 years of investment in the infrastructure to do with fossil fuels… we need to strike a balance, a balance that tips the hat to 100 years of infrastructure investment and looks to continue to protect and steward that infrastructure into the future. But at the same time, recognises that this disruption and the opportunity that it brings with renewable energy… creates an opportunity as well.”
A Night to Remember
The 30-year celebration culminated in a memorable conference and gala dinner at Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre on Friday, 17 October. Over 450 Proconics employees from across the country gathered for what proved to be both an inspiring and joyous occasion.
The conference featured thought-provoking presentations from internal and external speakers, sparking important discussions about innovation and future direction. Dr Mteto Nyati, Chairman of Eskom, delivered a powerful keynote address challenging the company to lead with purpose and remain values-driven whilst shaping South Africa’s energy future. Mr Stuart, Head of Sales and Marketing at Hitachi, provided valuable insights into the evolving industrial environment and the critical importance of strategic partnerships.
That evening’s gala dinner saw staff dressed in their finest for a celebration filled with laughter, recognition, and reflection. Employee achievements were honoured, and the remarkable journey of the past three decades was commemorated in style.
Excellence Through People
At the heart of Proconics’ success is its people. The company actively supports professional development, with 42 engineers currently registered as professionals with ECSA. Proconics maintains affiliations with key industry bodies, including SAIEE, SAIMechE, SAIMC, SAGA, and various SABS workgroups.
The company is a proudly South African, 51% Black-owned and 30% Black female-owned business, holding Level 1 BBBEE contributor status. Its commitment to safety and quality is underscored by ISO 45001:2018 certification and NOSCAR safety status.
Through the ProGroup structure, the company has expanded its capacity through specialised entities, including ProGO, ProRisk, Proconics International, Proconics NewFields, and ProAdvise, enabling comprehensive service delivery across the engineering project lifecycle.
Looking Forward
“As an engineer, I’m incredibly proud of how we are using local talent, South African talent, to solve some of South Africa’s biggest problems,” reflects Jones. “So as we celebrate 30 years, we’re not looking back. We’re looking forward.”
It’s this forward-thinking approach, combined with deep technical expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence, that positions Proconics to continue making meaningful contributions to South Africa’s industrial and energy landscape.
“Because at Proconics, brilliance excites us,” says Jones – a sentiment that perfectly captures the spirit driving the company into its next chapter.
