SANCOLD Annual Conference 2025
5-6 November 2025
Indaba Hote, Spa and Conference Centre, Fourways, Sandton
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The Annual South African National Committee on Large Dams (SANCOLD) Conference in 2025 will be held in Gauteng from Wednesday 5 November to Thursday 6 November 2025.
SANCOLD invites all from South Africa, Africa and the wider family of ICOLD to participate in the Conference which will include technical presentations and an exhibition. This event will offer dam and water resources engineers as well as all contributing to the dam engineering industry important international, regional and local linkages, networking and the exchange of knowledge and experience opportunities.
SANCOLD 2025 will be an ECSA Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited event and attendance for both days will receive 2.0 credits (1 credit/day).
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
The Organising Committee for this event consists of the Secretary: SANCOLD as well as a number of SANCOLD Management Committee Members. SANCOLD have appointed Qinisa as the Professional Conference Organiser (PCO). Details to follow.
BACKGROUND TO THE CONFERENCE
The general theme of the SANCOLD Conference 2025 is “Investing in the future through dams”. As many of South Africa’s dams filled to capacity in the summer rainy season, we can breathe a sigh of relief, but we can’t become complacent.
According to the ICOLD register, South Africa has over 1200 dams. We invest in South Africa’s future by managing these dams and their sources and supporting the infrastructure that connects the water with communities. If not for dams, most of South Africa’s rainfall would end up in the ocean, yet up to 70% of the downpours are stored in dams. With sufficient investment in maintenance, planning and responsible water use we can assure that our dams keep on storing our most valuable resource.
CONFERENCE THEME AND TOPICS
The general theme of the SANCOLD Conference 2025 is “Investing in the future through dams”. A listing of the topics is given below as an aid towards the formulation of a suitable paper within the Conference theme. Please note that the topics are not exhaustive and papers satisfying the conference theme can also be submitted under Topic 9: Other. Abstracts and papers are invited under the following topics:
- Modern technologies and methods in the design and construction of new dams
- Climate and environmental adaption
- Dam Rehabilitation
- Tailings Dam Operations/lifecycles and dam closure
- Dams for water retention or flood control
- Geotechnical aspects of dams and water engineering structures
- Dam Safety and Risk Management
- Pump Storage schemes and hydro power development
- Other
CALL FOR PAPERS AND ABSTRACT
The abstract should indicate the paper title, the author(s) and the text should not exceed 200 words.
The abstract template is attached to this mail.
Once the abstract has been received and accepted, the author/s will be provided with a document which sets out the required format for the full paper. The full paper will be subject to peer review. A substantial prize for the best paper by a Young Engineer (see below) will be awarded. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 30 June 2025.
Submit papers and abstracts here
IMPORTANT DATES: SANCOLD 2024
| Call for Papers (First Announcement) | Friday 16 May 2025 |
| Abstract submitted | Monday 30 June 2025 |
| Abstract approval | Friday 18 July 2025 |
| Registration Opens | Monday 1 September 2025 |
| Draft paper submission | Monday 22 September 2025 |
| Early Bird registration close | Wednesday 1 October 2025 |
| Draft paper reviewed | Monday 6 October 2025 |
| Final revised paper submission | Monday 20 October 2025 |
PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
The Conference will commence on Wednesday morning 5 November 2025 with a technical keynote address followed by technical presentations. There will be a meeting and social later in the same evening for the Young Person’s Forum during the Conference, and for all people young at heart. The Conference Dinner will be held on the Thursday evening. The preliminary Conference Programme is shown below:
| Tuesday 4 November 2025 | |
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Registration |
| Wednesday 5 November 2025 | |
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Registration |
| 08:00 – 09:00 | Welcome by SANCOLD Chairperson Technical keynote speaker |
| 09:00 – 17:30 | Technical sessions |
| 17:30 – 18:30 | Annual General Meeting of SANCOLD (all welcome) |
| 19:00 – 22:00 | SANCOLD Young Person’s Forum Meeting and Social Evening free for other delegates |
| Thursday 6 November 2025 | |
| 07:30 – 08:00 | Registration |
| 08:00 – 17:30 | Technical Sessions |
| 18:30 | Conference Dinner, Awards and Prizes |
VENUE AND ACCOMMODATION
Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre (4 Star Hotel)
Winnie Mandela Drive, Pieter Wenning Road Johannesburg, Fourways, Sandton, 2191
For directions click here.
Hotel Booking Code for Conference will be made available once available
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
A number of sponsorship opportunities exist and the SANCOLD 2025 Secretariat should be contacted for further detail. Each technical session may receive sponsorship and the sponsor will be entitled to make a five-minute presentation at the start of the session on their organisation. These sponsorship opportunities include:
- Conference Sessions;
- YPF dinner;
- Conference dinner;
- Lunches;
- Conference notebooks;
- Lanyards;
- USB Memory Sticks for presentations and proceedings
- Conference proceedings
EXHIBITION
The SANCOLD Conference 2025 Exhibition is an opportunity to show the Dam Community what you can do. The event is expected to attract around 200 delegates from South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world. The Exhibition will be in the entrance hall of the Conference Centre. Early booking of exhibition space is recommended as the number of spaces could be restricted. The Exhibition will be held on the first two days of the conference (5 and 6 November 2025). The approximate size of each exhibition area is 2 x 3 m. (Table and two chairs included). Stand allocation will be based on when payment has been received. If you wish to discuss the matter further, please do not hesitate to contact the Conference Secretariat.
REGISTRATION FEES
| Individual SANCOLD Members | |
| Early Bird Individual SANCOLD Member – 1 Day | R 4 680.00 |
| Early Bird Individual SANCOLD Member – 2 Day | R 7 390.00 |
| Individual SANCOLD Member – 1 Day | R 4 980.00 |
| Individual SANCOLD Member – 2 Day | R 7 810.00 |
| Corporate Members – Limit 5 Delegates | |
| Early Bird Corporate SANCOLD Member – 1 Day | R 4 890.00 |
| Early Bird Corporate SANCOLD Member – 2 Day | R 7 760.00 |
| Corporate SANCOLD Member – 1 Day | R 5 200.00 |
| Corporate SANCOLD Member – 2 Day | R 8 080.00 |
| YPF Members (Under 35) | |
| Early Bird YPF Member – 1 Day | R 3 520.00 |
| Early Bird YPF Member – 2 Day | R 5 560.00 |
| YPF Member – 1 Day | R 3 710.00 |
| YPF Member – 2 Day | R 5 860.00 |
| SANCOLD Over 65 Members | |
| Early Bird Individual SANCOLD delegate over 65 – 1 Day | R 4 020.00 |
| Early Bird Individual SANCOLD delegate over 65 – 2 Day | R 6 450.00 |
| Individual SANCOLD delegate over 65 – 1 Day | R 4 320.00 |
| Individual SANCOLD delegate over 65 – 2 Day | R 6 780.00 |
| Non-SANCOLD Members | |
| Early Bird Full Delegate (non SANCOLD member) – 1 Day | R 5 650.00 |
| Early Bird Full Delegate (non SANCOLD member) – 2 Day | R 9 000.00 |
| Full delegate (non SANCOLD member) – 1 Day | R 5 910.00 |
| Full delegate (non SANCOLD member) – 2 Day | R 9 300.00 |
- Upon registration current 2025 Member number is required and verified
- Early Bird fee expires on 15th September – early bird applies when payment is received before 15th of September.
CONTACT US
SANCOLD Secretary:
secretary@sancold.org.za
admin@sancold.org.za
Sue@qinisaevents.com
Please click the button below to register. Should the registration link not work, please copy the URL below & paste it into your web browser: http://rapidq.co.za/dashboard/#/register/2617/0/1