As an associate quantity surveyor at Aecom, Khanyisa Mabala’s expertise includes playing the role of a business development leader. She leads the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire division, and her role entails carrying out mass quantity surveying services for the construction of smart cities and local hospitals, data centres, universities and malls.
As a quantity surveyor, she is generally skilled in spheres of the economy such as construction, property development, government and finance.
In her work, she prepares research related to building and property economics, the profitability of commercial investment, professional practice matters, cost-benefit analysis related to building material and construction method selection, and many others.
Mabala says quantity surveying is about a whole lot more than counting bricks. “The career is a huge basket of skills. It comprises architecture, maths, science, finance, law, accounting and investments,” she says. However, she adds, “It is exceptionally beneficial that we pay close attention to detail.”
As a black woman working in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I am determined to see more individuals that look like me take up space in my industry.