By this time I am sure that a number of SAIMechE members are aware of some of the problematic issues that have developed around our professional regulator, the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). In the past, the engineering profession in South Africa was well managed and with the proclamation of the Engineering Professions Act No 46 of 2000, the role of ECSA was further enhanced and broadened. It should be noted that ECSA as the Regulator employs legal, accounting and support staff to administer the registered professionals and has no or minimal engineering professionals in its employ. ECSA relies on the Voluntary Associations (VA’S) such as SAIMechE to assist them in matters requiring engineering expertise and experience, such as the accreditation of tertiary institutions according to the Washington, Dublin and Sydney accords,  or the review of applications for professional registration.

Over the years many of our members have given their time to serve on the ECSA Council and in the various ECSA committees, with minimum remuneration for their real effort.  Some of these activities included significant contribution of time to review applications for registration as well as accompanying accreditation visits to tertiary institutions.

The SAIMechE Council believe that the principle of “peer-review” is absolutely crucial to maintaining the standards of the profession and we encourage all our members to assist ECSA in their various processes.

However, last year a number of unfortunate events unfolded.  It started by the removal of some names proposed by the retiring ECSA Council without due process or consultation.  This has now become the subject of a lawsuit that the South African Institute of Civil Engineering with the support of a number of other VAs instituted against the Minister of Public Works and the ECSA Council.

Even more disconcerting is that the ECSA Council recently adopted new procedures to register professional engineers, technologists and technicians without any meaningful consultation with the Voluntary Associations or even individual professionals.  The new process has also significantly watered down the role of peer-review and a number of important decisions are now left to the discretion of administrators in ECSA who have minimal experience or competence to undertake this responsibility.

Although SAIMechE was consulted by the SAICE on joining their legal actions the SAIMechE Council decided at that time not to join the legal action.  The SAIMechE Council still believe that it was the correct decision at that time as the SAIMechE Council prefers constructive engagement rather than confrontation in such an important matter.  However, given some of the recent, further unilateral decisions taken by the ECSA Council, the SAIMechE Council is of the opinion that the ECSA Council is indeed not acting in the interest of the profession or the public at large.  We have therefore decided to write a letter to the Minister of Public Works to express our concerns over the actions of the ECSA Council and request him to mediate in this matter.  We will also engage with ECSA’s CEO to discuss how the situation can be resolved in an amicable manner while serving the interests of our members and the general public.

Yours in Mechanical Engineering,

Wikus