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Focus Areas

Our presentations will revolve around 5 critical focus areas of the bitumen industry. Asphalt, Seals and Binders focus areas emphasise developments and solutions at asphalt’s core, while Construction and Manufacturing and Chemistry work towards practical achievement of long term durability. Collectively, quality, innovation, and solutions-driven content from the lab to the roadway promote sustainability in the South African asphalt pavements sector.

Thank you to our Focus Area Sponsors:

Introducing our Focus Area Chairs

Please click on photo to read full profile.
ASPHALT FOCUS AREA CHAIR

Avi-Nash Sukuram
BINDERS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Belindar Preethapal
BINDERS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nikisha Sewpersad
CONSTRUCTION & MANUFACTURING FOCUS AREA CHAIR

Craig Naicker
SEALS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nishaat Mowzer
SEALS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Herman Mostert
CHEMISTRY FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nteseng Ramoraswi
CHEMISTRY FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Sthabile Ngcobo

ASPHALT FOCUS AREA CHAIR

Avi-Nash Sukuram

Avi-Nash is a registered Civil Engineering Consultant specialising in roads and civil infrastructure. He is the recipient of the 2017 national Young Professional Technologist of the Year Award and is also a registered arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator. Avi-Nash has authored and presented pavement engineering papers and published poetry in magazines across the African continent. He chaired the Asphalt Focus Area at the SATBinderrr Conference in 2024 and returns in 2026 as session chair.

BINDERS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Belindar Preethapal

Belindar Preethapal is a Senior Laboratory Manager at National Asphalt in Gauteng, specialising in asphalt design, binder performance, and laboratory quality systems. With over a decade of experience in the asphalt industry, she has progressed from trainee technician to senior leadership and is currently in training for a regional management role. Belindar serves as Chairperson of the Society for Asphalt Technology Central Region, where she actively drives industry collaboration, technical knowledge-sharing, and professional development. She is particularly focused on quality control, compliance, and strengthening laboratory processes to support consistent, high-performance asphalt production.

BINDERS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nikisha Sewpersad

Nikisha is a passionate Research and Development Chemist at Tosas, specialising in bitumen emulsions, formulation optimisation, and sustainable material solutions. She actively advances industry practices through technical presentations and stakeholder engagement. She serves as Chairperson of the National Emulsion Working Group and is a certified scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). In addition, she plays a key role in industry collaboration as Events Coordinator for SAT Central Region and is part of the leadership team of the SABITA Young Professionals Chapter. She brings strong technical expertise and a collaborative approach to her work and is keen to develop new technologies for the industry. 

CONSTRUCTION & MANUFACTURING FOCUS AREA CHAIR

Craig Naicker

After gaining experience in the finance and statistics field, coupled with an MBA, Craig pursued a career as an entrepreneur. This gave him the opportunity to grow a business into a leading asphalt paving contractor in the KZN region. Craig has substantial experience in leading a complex organization. Craig is the CEO and co-founder of TC Construction who takes pride in building roads that connect communities, unlock economic opportunities, and leave a lasting legacy for generations.

SEALS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nishaat Mowzer

Nishaat is a Professional Engineer with more than 16 years of experience in the transport engineering field. She earned her BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town in 2009 and her MEng in Pavement Engineering at Stellenbosch University in 2019. Nishaat began her professional journey at KV3 Engineers and progressed to the role of Associate Pavement Engineer at Zutari between 2022 and 2025. She is now Chief Engineer: Asset Management at the Western Cape Government’s Department of Infrastructure and is also acting as Chief Engineer: Materials. Nishaat serves as the SAT Southern Region Chair, reflecting her commitment to advancing the profession and engaging with the engineering community.

SEALS FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Herman Mostert

Herman is Regional Director: Western Cape at ROMH Consulting and a registered Professional Engineering Technologist and Professional Construction Project Manager. He holds a Master of Engineering (Civil Engineering) degree from Stellenbosch University and has more than 16 years of experience in the planning, design, rehabilitation, and construction of transport infrastructure projects in southern Africa. Herman has been involved in a wide range of national, provincial, municipal, and private-sector projects, with experience in pavement engineering, materials investigations, road rehabilitation, construction supervision, and contract administration. He has led multidisciplinary teams on numerous major road infrastructure projects. In his current role, Herman is responsible for technical leadership, project delivery, client engagement, and the strategic growth of ROMH’s Western Cape operations.

CHEMISTRY FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Nteseng Ramoraswi

Nteseng is Regional Technical Manager at COLAS, based in KwaZulu-Natal. She has a strong track record in advancing innovation, technical excellence, and strategic growth across the region. Nteseng holds a Masters of Chemistry Degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and brings extensive experience in leading research initiatives, managing multidisciplinary teams, and translating complex technical insights into practical, scalable solutions. She is professionally registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). Nteseng is an active and respected leader within the industry. She has served as a Focus Area Chair at SATBinderr twice, and is Chairperson of the SAT Eastern Region, where she provides strategic leadership and guidance. In addition, she is involved in multiple industry working groups, playing a key role in shaping standards, advancing best practices, and supporting industry development.

CHEMISTRY FOCUS AREA CO-CHAIR

Sthabile Ngcobo

Sthabile Ngcobo is a Professional Engineering Technologist with more than eight years of experience in road pavement engineering, rehabilitation design, and materials evaluation. She is currently employed by ROMH Consulting. Sthabile has worked on road infrastructure projects for local, provincial, and national authorities, with a strong focus on technically sound and context-specific pavement solutions. Her experience includes the assessment of existing pavement structures, interpretation of investigation data, evaluation of material behaviour, and the design of flexible and recycled pavement systems. Currently, she is involved in pavement design and the technical evaluation of alternative pavement technologies, including Nano-Modified Emulsion, for application in South African road conditions.

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