The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa

The badge is registered with the Bureau of Heraldry where it is certified that a coat of arms has been registered for the Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa, in terms of subsection 2 (c) of section three and paragraph (a) of section fourteen of the Heraldry Act, 1962 (Act No 18 of 1962) as the full and exclusive property of the above mentioned body.

Arms: Azure, on a band Argent two proteas slipped and leaved proper, between, chief thunderbolt argent with flashes proper, and in base a cog-wheel Argent

Crest: A demi-horse forcene Argent, collared and chained Or Mantling: Argent and Azure

Motto: Finis Coronat Opus

The motto "Finis Coronat Opus", translated from Latin means "Completing the work is its own reward" or "Let the completion of the work be its own reward".

Meet our President: Dr Gus Muller

Gustav Adolf Muller, known as Gus, to his friends and colleagues, started his career with the former South African Railways and Harbors in January 1970 as an apprentice electrician. Gus has progressed from qualified artisan not only in the electrical field but also as refrigeration mechanic to a Professional Certificated Engineer. Whilst being employed in various industries he had exposure and picked up experience in the disciplines of heavy engineering, abattoirs, industrial laundries, holiday resorts and the facility industry where he distinguished himself as the Resident Engineer of Eskom Properties where he was responsible for all the buildings and 16 towns country wide.
Gus has a passion for knowledge and has studied part time over many years to obtain an impressive list of qualifications which include: Master Wireman’s license, High Voltage Operations, Registered Lift Inspector, Government Certificate of Competency, N.Dip, BSc Hon, MSc, Meng and PhD degrees from various tarsier institutions, local and abroad.
Gus has also been actively involved in the engineering profession, being an active member of various professional bodies such as The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers of South Africa, The South African Institute for Mechanical Engineers, South African Institute for Refrigeration And Air Conditioning, South African Property Owners Association and The Engineering Council of South Africa. Gus has been self employed as consultant and adviser in the fields of Advanced Maintenance Concepts, Statutory Compliance, Techno Economical Viability as well as Failure Root Cause Analysis of which he had experience of for the past five years from 1998 to 2003 as Executive Technical Consultant of Tilca, his former employer.
Gus was President in 2003 and has been re-elected as President our institution for a second term in 2004. We wish Gus all of the best for the year ahead. Message from the President Dr Gus Muller
The engineering fraternity finds itself now in the midst of some of the most exciting times ever. During the course of the previous year, 2003, a host of new developments have been initiated as well as a bouquet of unfinished aspects carried over from the year before. Overall, a lot of ground was broken so far and surely all the committed members of the various constituencies need to be commended for their diligence and effort which resulted in numerous positive changes. Changes that not only affected the engineering fraternity as a whole but also boosted the stature of the Certificated Engineer specifically. However these initiatives can be finalised in shorter periods with much less effort. That can only materialise if more input and feedback is received and channelled to the appropriate decision making bodies.
We as Certificated Engineers need to make decisions in terms of job reservation and CPD, just to name a few. We earnestly need your input as members to consolidate a feedback report for the future benefit of the Certificated Engineer per say. Remember, a persons success only depends 10% on what happens to him, but 90% will be determined by the way that he reacts upon it. What happens to the Certificated Engineer as well as the decisions that will be taken in terms of them will largely depend on their inputs and feedback. Lets put in a concerted effort to support our committee members representing the interests of the Certificated Engineers on the various decision making bodies, and forward our reservations, provisions and requirements for the road ahead, as quick as possible.
As such it will not only strengthen the Institution but will also enhance the stature and professional standing of the Certificated Engineer. May all your endeavours be extremely successful and may you enjoy a prosperous and peaceful 2004.

Where is ICMEESA now?

A few years ago, a good friend questioned my involvement with the institution and asked if I was not riding a dead horse. Today I have the same reply as before, in that ICMEESA is alive and well, serving a meaningful purpose and doing better than ever before. This comment is substantiated by our membership figures. Membership is the crux of any non-profit or voluntary organisation. In the past calendar year we have recruited sixty-one new members. Four members have passed away and five resigned for various reasons. The net membership gain for 2003 is therefore fifty-one members. Interestingly, the composition of the new membership is contrary to the expectation that majority new members will be in the Student Membership category. Thirty-one joined as Members, three as Senior Members, two Associate Members and the balance being the twenty-four Student Members. New membership for 2003 exceeds the average of annual new membership over the past four years, which is fifty-six. Average annual new membership for the years 1990-2000 was thirty-five members per year. The golden years of 1980 – 1990 averaged seventy-four new members per annum. New membership applications for 2004 already total 32.
Considering the membership base has been negatively affected mainly by the decline in the mining industry and the domino effect this has on industry, the increasing membership is a positive and exciting trend.
The accuracy of the membership database has been addressed and we are proud to say that it is the best it has been in many years, although far from perfect. The modern database has facilitated easy analysis of the information, which reveals that our main problem is “lost” members. Simple omission by members to advise of changed addresses. Thank you to all those members that have diligently updated their information on the invoice or the website. The Council of ICMEESA recognise the fact that the lack of updated information is also a due to a lack of regular communication to the members from the Institution itself. To rectify the situation, this letter will be the first of a quarterly publication sent to members to keep them informed on all matters relating to the Certificated Engineer and our Institution. We trust it will make the members more aware of the value added benefit of being a member of ICMEESA.

Fees & Finances

The excellent payment of fees for 2003 has resulted in subscriptions being increased only 6% for 2004. For the second year in succession we have been able to pay to the branches 10% of income received from subscriptions. This is to support the branches in financing branch activities.
With the combination of the improved database, and having in-sourced the invoicing process and posting of regular reminder invoices, income has exceeded budget. The posting of reminder invoices at regular intervals has had success, which is evident in the income received throughout the year.
Similarly, operating costs were contained well within budget. The sound financial position has resulted in provision for the costs to fund this publication. Our greatest problem regarding subscription fee payment is payments made on behalf of the member by their company. They regularly omit to state the requested reference number or even name of the member, with the payment. For 2003 there are sixteen paid members that we are unable to identify. Please do not hesitate to contact the secretary if you are not correctly reflected with regarding annual subscription payment.

Study Bursary – WP Jones Trust Fund

ICMEESA is in the fortunate situation to have been bequeathed a trust by the late WP Jones. The trust is managed by Syfrets. Interest received from the invested capital amount is to be used exclusively for study bursaries in engineering. This fund will enable ICMEESA to provide substantial support to students. Members of the Institution should apply to the secretary should they require assistance and their children be studying Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.

WWW.ICMEESA.COM

As President of ICMEESA in 1998, the communication gap between the Institution and the Member became obvious when travelling the country visiting the various branches. The WWW is the one common communication medium irrespective of geographic location. It however took quite a while for someone like me, who started out a career with a “sliderule”, to become cyber orientated. (Students are advised to research the “siderule” on their own. You would never believe me had I try to explain the functionality of this wonderful tool that never ever let you down as it was manually operated and had no batteries.)
Our website www.icmeesa.com has nevertheless served a valuable purpose. In 2003, sixty-six members used the website to update their information online. Forty-eight persons applied for membership online. For 2004, a total of 61 members have updated their personal contact information via the website, so it does show increasing usage.
The website however, has fallen far short of the intended communication centre between Institution and Member. The reason for this is understandable when considering that only 46% of our paid up membership has an email address. This implies that probably less have Internet access. Hence the need for this written communication, delivered by the trusty postal service.
Being the member’s communication centre, any comment or criticism from the members about the website will be welcomed.

Answering the question of Registration with ECSA as a Professional Certificated Engineer. (Pr Cert Eng)

Many engineers still question the need to register with ECSA as a Professional Certificated Engineer. Presently it remains a personal decision. The following information is intended to answer the question by giving you the necessary insight into the statutes governing this requirement. The degrees to which the statutes are being enforced and implemented are the subject of a separate debate. This debate relates to the question of weather professional registration will become compulsory.

Two Acts govern professional registration:

Council for the Built Environment Act, 2000 (Act No 43/2000 (CBE Act)
Engineering Professions Act, 2000 (Act No 46/2000) (EP Act)

Firstly we examine the requirements of these acts relative to the implication on the Certificated Engineer. The overriding act is the CBE Act, which calls for the formation of the EP Act.

Council for the Built Environment Act, 2000 (Act No 43/2000
The CBE Act defines the following:

“Built environment’’ means the field within which the registered persons practise;
“Built environment professions’’ means the professions regulated by the professions’ Acts;

The CBE Act definitions (x) then clearly identifies the “professions” referred to as those encompassed in the following Acts:

Architectural Profession Act, 2000;
Project and Construction Management Professions Act, 2000;
Engineering Profession Act, 2000;
Landscape Architectural Profession Act, 2000;
Property Valuers Profession Act, 2000; and
Quantity Surveying Profession Act, 2000;

Who is a professional or registered person?
They are also defined in the CBE Act as:

‘‘Professional” means a person who is registered as such in terms of any of the professions’ Acts;
‘‘Registered person’’ means a person registered in terms of any of the professions’ Acts;

What are the objects of the CBE Act?
Examining the objects, stated in section 3 of the CBE Act will give an indication of the direction delegated to the organisation responsible through the relevant Professions Act.
The objects of the CBE Act are:

Promote and protect the interests of the public in the built environment;
Promote and maintain a sustainable built environment and natural environment;
Promote ongoing human resource development in the built environment;
Facilitate participation by the built environment professions in integrated development in the context of national goals;
Promote appropriate standards of health, safety and environmental protection within the built environment;
Promote sound governance of the built environment professions;
Promote liaison in the built environment in the field of training, both in the Republic and elsewhere, and to promote the standards of such training in the Republic;
Serve as a forum where the representatives of the built environment professions may discuss the relevant—
1. required qualifications;
2. standards of education;
3. training and competence;
4. promotion of professional status; and
5. legislation impacting on the built environment; and
6. Ensure the uniform application of norms and guidelines set by the councils for the professions throughout the built environment

Engineering Professions Act, 2000 (Act No 46/2000) (EP Act)
The EP Act has the following relevant definitions applicable to the Certificated Engineer:
(xii) ‘‘professional’’ means a person who is registered in terms of section 19(2)(a);
(xiii) ‘‘registered person’’ means a person registered under one of the categories referred to in section 18;
(xiv) ‘‘registration’’ means the process—
(a) of assessment of competency of applicants for the purpose of registration under this Act; and
(b) of entering the names of the applicants who qualify into the register referred to in section 11(c);

The categories in which a person may register in the engineering profession are specified in section 18 (1) as:
(a) professional, which is divided into—
(i) Professional Engineer;
(ii) Professional Engineering Technologist;
(iii) Professional Certificated Engineer; or
(iv) Professional Engineering Technician; or
(b) candidate, which is divided into—
(i) Candidate Engineer;
(ii) Candidate Engineering Technologist;
(iii) Candidate Certificated Engineer; or
(iv) Candidate Engineering Technician; or
(c) specified categories prescribed by the council.

(The specified categories referred to in section (c) above would be those such as lift inspectors.)

General powers of ECSA as determined by section 14 of the EP Act.
(d) determine, subject to section 25, the requirements with which a voluntary association must comply to qualify for recognition by the council;
(e) advise the Minister, any other Minister or the CBE on any matter relating to the engineering profession;
(f) encourage and itself undertake research into matters relating to the engineering profession;
(g) take any steps it considers necessary for the protection of the public in their dealings with registered persons for the maintenance of the integrity, and the enhancement of the status of the engineering profession;
(h) take any steps it considers necessary for the improvement of the standards of services rendered by registered persons;
(i) create an awareness amongst registered persons of the importance to protect the environment against unsound engineering practices;
(j) take any steps which it considers necessary, where, as a result of engineering related undertakings, public health and safety is prejudiced; and
(k) take any measures it considers necessary for the proper performance and exercise of its functions, duties or powers or to achieve the objectives of this Act.

Registration or Not?
Trust that the above information will enable you to make an objective decision on registration. Senior Membership of ICMEESA requires professional registration. This fact correctly suggests that registration is supported by ICMEESA.
There are presently two issues creating consternation amongst members. It is that of continued professional development (CPD) and the education model relating to the Certificated Engineer. We will give further information on these two subjects in the next issue.