The passing of Adrian Bergh is an enormous loss to the South African road industry. He was an unsurpassed innovator in pavement and materials engineering and a passionate and committed mentor to many.
Adrian Oloff Bergh was born on 18 September 1923 in Belfast (eMakhazeni), Mpumalanga, and passed away in May 2023, a few months before his centenary birthday. He contributed tirelessly to the industry until he was well into his 90s, pioneering many techniques that we take for granted today.
His work will continue to be widely referenced well into the future, keeping this giant in our industry very much alive as one of the best minds in our profession over many decades.
Adrian graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1948 and began his career in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia), where he rapidly rose to Acting Head of the National Roads Department at a young age. He completed the Ndola Airport in record time with an in-house construction team and was criticized for opening the airport without the customary fanfare.
Returning to South Africa, he was a co-founder and Senior Partner at Mackintosh Bergh and Sturgess (MBS) Consulting Engineers. Here he became known for a litany of critical innovations. Upon his “retirement” from MBS, Adrian continued to add phenomenal value at the CSIR.
He was a man with strong informed opinions and did not tolerate non-practical engineers who offered uninformed opinions. “If you want to look brilliant, surround yourself with brilliant people,” he would say. Although he never meant it that way, he did indeed inspire brilliance in many others through his remarkable career.
Adrian recognized the importance of knowledgeable and dedicated people to the future of the industry. He personally developed and implemented maintenance training programmes for young engineers and contractors.
Professors and road engineers consulted him for practical advice on road construction and maintenance. His generous and wise support of many university students earned him respect and admiration as they built their own successful careers.
Adrian was President of the SAICE in 1972. He received the SAICE Outstanding Achievement Award in 1984, and the SAICE President’s Award for Meritorious Service for 1997. He served the Pretoria Rotary Club for most of his life, as President in 2003/2004. He has been listed as a noteworthy civil engineering consultant by Marquis Who’s Who.
Adrian was an exceptional engineer and an innovator with vast knowledge that is virtually unequalled in his time. He was a great friend to many, with a dry sense of humour and a sharp wit, and a devoted husband.
He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by all who have had the immense privilege of knowing him and being a part of his extraordinary life.
RIP Mr Bergh.
With thanks to Hans Brink and Douglas Judd