June 9, 2026, Pretoria, South Africa – Knight Piésold Southern Africa participated in the World Tunnel Congress 2026, the flagship annual conference for the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA), presenting insights on one of Southern Africa's major water infrastructure projects.

The conference, hosted by the Tunnelling Association of Canada on May 15–21 in Montreal, Canada, brought together nearly 3,000 industry leaders, consultants, contractors, and researchers from around the world to exchange innovations and best practices in tunnelling and underground construction.

Technical Presentation

Ryan Freese, Lead Engineering Geologist at Knight Piésold Southern Africa, presented the technical paper “The uMkhomazi Transfer Tunnel: Background, Geotechnical Conditions and Tunnel Design Considerations.” The presentation provided critical insights from the uMkhomazi Water Project Phase 1, which features a 31.2 km transfer tunnel—South Africa's largest civil tunnelling undertaking in two decades.

Knight Piésold extends sincere thanks to the project client, the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, for their thorough review and approval to present, and to co-author Gerhard Keyter, Principal Geotechnical Engineer at SRK Consulting, for his valuable collaboration.

International Engagement

Freese also represented South Africa at the 52nd ITA General Assembly as the country's voting representative, reporting on ongoing tunnelling activities and helping guide the strategic direction of the ITA. South Africa is one of the founding members of the ITA, reflecting the country's longstanding commitment to tunnelling excellence.

Additionally, Freese participated in the ITA Africa Forum, a strategic platform focused on driving tunnelling growth across the African continent and fostering collaboration among African nations in underground infrastructure development.

Leadership in Southern African Tunnelling

Knight Piésold is at the forefront of tunnelling in Southern Africa, currently serving as design engineer for two landmark water transfer tunnel projects:

• The uMkhomazi Water Project Phase 1, South Africa: This project features a 31.2 km transfer tunnel that will augment water supply to the Pietermaritzburg and Durban areas in KwaZulu-Natal. Knight Piésold (as part of the Gibb-Knight Piésold Joint Venture) is responsible for geotechnical, hydrogeological, environmental, and social studies, and the design of all major tunnel infrastructure.
• The Polihali Transfer Tunnel, Lesotho: This project is part of the bi-national Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II, comprising a 38 km concrete-lined tunnel currently under construction. Knight Piésold (as part of the MSKC Joint Venture) serves as design engineer responsible for tender, detailed design, and construction supervision.

The company is also engaged in several hydropower tunnel projects across the region, demonstrating comprehensive expertise in underground engineering.

“The conference provided an invaluable platform to showcase our technical capabilities on the global stage,” said Freese. “As Africa's infrastructure needs continue to grow, Knight Piésold remains committed to delivering innovative tunnelling solutions that build sustainable, resilient infrastructure serving communities for future generations.”