Chairman's Report 2008/09 [condensed]

Please click here to download the report in pdf format

Once again, the past year has been busy and the committee has, amongst other things, spent time discussing the Pressure Equipment Regulations and has done considerable work on the combining of the industry in terms of Fire Detection and Gas Extinguishing Systems.

The SAQCC Fire Constitution has undergone a complete overhaul with a view to this combining of the industry and is currently still being reviewed. Once this is completed, it will be submitted to everyone who is registered with SAQCC Fire for approval, before being accepted.

All this has not deterred the committee from spending the majority of time on our core function of registering competent persons, organising training and attending to disciplinary matters.

As at mid-May 2010, we have 1 085 registered technicians – up from 1018 at the same time last year – and 319 registered trainees in the system compared to 266 last year. This trend is interesting, as some major 1475 companies have actually cut back on registered technicians.

Currently, we have 442 registered SABS 1475 companies on our system and the SABS has 443, which is the best we have ever managed and shows how cooperation really can work. The same approach from the Department of Labour to assist our efforts in regard to accidents would be a massive help to SAQCC Fire and our attempts to control the quality and safety of our registered technicians in actually carrying out the service.

We have members on committee at ECSA and some action is taking place. The SABS Inspectorate has been making full use of our website as are many others which is most encouraging. The website is continually updated and therefore a source of useful information.

On the financial side, Kobus Breedt must be congratulated for continuing to keep us on a sound financial footing. During the financial year ending February 2010, the SAQCC Fire posted a surplus of R226 301 which gave us cash on hand of R1 579k. We need to consider how this may best be deployed to the advantage of our registered persons and trainees.

We participated at Securex (28th to 30th June) at the Sandton Convention Centre which proved extremely successful and will be doing so again this year; it has been taken over and enlarged and will now be known as IFSEC-SA – 31st August to 2nd September.

The SABS has been active during the year under review and members of this committee have attended several meetings in Pretoria. This, along with the attendance at ECSA meetings is the extra mile that our committee members go to keep the committee updated on the important moves that effect our constituents.

On the subject of the advertising committee, Duncan Boyes and Lizl Davel have some exciting new ideas for the coming year. The incoming committee should take cognisance of the broad needs of the organisation and encourage registered persons to participate. I know time spent here might mean a loss of income but we desperately need to broaden our committee membership.

On a personal note, I would like to thank Rosemary Cowan for her outstanding commitment to SAQCC Fire and her enthusiasm for our organisation. And finally in 2010 parlance – Go Bafana Go!

CHAIRMAN
BRETT JONES

For further information, contact SAQCC-Fire on tel. 011 455-3157.