200 students and their partners attended the gala dinner and Genevieve Naidoo, Project Manager: Nedbank Corporate Property Finance gave the sponsors’ speech.  Naidoo noted how proud Nedbank is to be associated with the School of Construction Economics and Management. She added that Nedbank is committed to sound business practices, transformation and sustainable growth and that the bank is vision led and values driven and passionate about their business – all qualities that tie in with their sponsorship of the School of Construction Economics and Management.

After outlining a few of the in-house development programmes at Nedbank, Naidoo urged the students to look carefully at their options next year, and to find an employer that is committed to retaining their people.

Acting Head of School, Francois Viruly was the guest speaker. In his speech, Viruly congratulated the students on the sacrifices they’d made in order to study, and their responsibility to contribute positively to South African society, both in their personal and professional capacities.  He stressed the importance for the students to bridge the gap between what is and what ought to be, and to work at all times on improving themselves and the society in which they operate.  He also implored the students to consider quality more broadly in their work environment, and to consider whether a project portrays quality not just in terms of the bricks and mortar and financial outcomes, but from a social perspective as well.