Engineering Chamber

Festive Season Messages.

No 4. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificates.

Included in this posted mail (not E mail) or arriving separately together with a Calendar etc you should find a CPD Certificate proving your membership for the year. This entitles you to claim one credit on the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) CPD system (Category 3).

Please note that CPD only applies to individual ECSA registered members and not Company or Sponsor members. Also note that you are still required to gain credits in Category 1 and 2.

If the information printed on your CPD Certificate is not complete or is inaccurate, it is because we were not provided with your full and updated information. Our database may therefore not be fully up to date. Information update forms are sent out regularly and were included in a number of Newsletters. They are also available on our Web site http://www.engineeringchamber.mirrorz.com.

If you need an amended CPD Certificate kindly request it in writing, and supply the full information required.

If you have not received a CPD Certificate, it is probably due to one or more of the following reasons: -

·         You are not listed as being registered with ECSA or you have not advised us of your ECSA registration and ECSA number.

·         Your membership account is in arrears.

·         Other.

With accounts that are due only once a year we find that some members forget to pay, despite reminders in addition to the original invoice. This oversight sometimes happens to busy professionals.

Some members or their firms pay directly into our bank account, but neglect to include membership numbers on the bank deposits as a reference. This sometimes also happens with company cheques, which we receive with no indication of which member's account is being paid. The bank account statement received from our bank often reflects no details of the payer. The space allocated for this is only large enough for membership numbers, so we request this in preference to names or telephone numbers. (Telephone numbers, where quoted, often do not include the area code and are thus unusable in trying to trace the member).

There may be an error in our system but we will be pleased to amend our records on receipt of documentary proof of payment. If you have any queries please post or fax them to us in writing.

Full instructions requesting a copy of the invoice plus details of membership number and last name and initials are printed in the notes on the invoices. Direct payment and electronic payment details, as well as our bank details, also appear on the back of our invoices. Membership numbers must be quoted as many members have the same last name and initials. A readable copy of the deposit slip / or printout of the electronic transfer must be faxed or posted to us to ensure that your account is credited.

The above problems result in us receiving payments but being unable to identify whose account is being paid!

Where we cannot trace the member due to lack of information the payment is lodged in a suspense account.

We respectfully point out that the responsible person is the member and not the members employer or firm. As such the onus is on the member to ensure that the annual fee is paid. Claims of payment must be accompanied by documentary proof of payment. (Photostats of processed cheques, deposit slips and electronic transfers that indicate the amount paid, the bank account it was paid into and the date of payment is acceptable). Telephone calls and messages stating that the fees were paid are not acceptable. If we react to these our auditors can view this as fraud as no documentary evidence has been provided.

Any arrangements the member has with his employer or firm are internal arrangements between the member and employer. We cannot assist if the member has problems with getting the employer to pay.

No. 5. Continuing Professional Development (CPD). General Details of the Scheme.

After more than three years the process of consultation and debate with stakeholders in the profession, including voluntary associations such as ours, the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) approved a formal system affecting all registered engineering practitioners. This came into affect from 1^st January 2006.

CPD may be defined as "the systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of

knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout an engineering practitioners career".

The Engineering Profession Act 46 of 2000 requires that registered practitioners have to renew their registration at regular intervals. ECSA decided that the most appropriate way to implement the Act would be to link renewal of registration with CPD.

ECSA has attempted to design a system that is not a millstone around the necks of registered practitioners. A reasonable system of earning points or credits has been devised. This system includes attendance at educational / academic courses as well as work-based activities. The 5 credits per year or 25 credits to be acquired over a 5-year period should be easily achieved with the three categories of CPD. While a minimum of 3 credits must be earned per year, excess credits can be carried over.

A very brief summary of CPD requirements follows;

Category 1 which requires 2 credits per year has proved to be the most difficult and controversial. It is however not difficult to attend 2 accredited Courses / Seminars a year.

Category 2 awards workers 2 credits for just working more than 800 hours a year!

Category 3 awards members of an ECSA recognised Voluntary Association 1 credit for membership.

The above is not the full or detailed requirements or methods of obtaining credits. See previous and future newsletters about CPD courses and news.

REFERENCE SOURCES;

ECSA Web Site www.ecsa.co.za

No 8. NSTF Activities During 2008.

A large number of National Science and Technology Forum activities took place during the year, and your CET representative was kept busy with making inputs where necessary to ensure that the needs of the engineering community were attended to.  The NSTF caters for a number of different sections of the SET community, and our inputs are fed through SETAG  (Science, Engineering and Technology and Allied Professions Group), on which your representative has been an advisor for a number of years.

It should be mentioned that the main purpose of the NSTF is to provide inputs to government with respect to science, education, technology and engineering matters.  Any matters that members of CET may have regarding engineering can therefore be relayed to your representative for consideration and inclusion in NSTF activities.  While matters can be attended to fairly speedily by the NSTF, it may take much longer to see the results, as these matters have to follow the normal processes of government.

Due to the number of activities that took place, only a selection of the more important ones will be mentioned below.

NSTF plenary meetings took place on 8 May 2008 and on 1 October 2008 at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.  They were well attended.  Some matters that were presented were –

The National Research Foundation (NRF) Strategic plan was presented and discussed.  While many academics see it as a vehicle for their own research, it should also be pursued by the engineering professions as they also do a lot of research, which merits recognition in their daily activities.

The winners of the various awards for the 2007-year were announced.  Here, again, it was heavily biased in the direction of the academics.  There is so much of the work done by the engineering professions that do not get their just rewards and an appeal is made to the SET community to pursue the possibilities of submitting applications for awards to the NSTF for consideration.  (It is a lot of work to do this but the end products are of inestimable value to engineering.)

There were two SETAG general meetings during the year.  They were not as well attended as had been hoped.  A presentation was given by Professor Harro von Blottnitz of the University of Cape Town, entitled “The Greening of Engineering”.  It dealt mainly with new approaches to today’s environmental issues in science, engineering and technology.

Various workshops were held during the year, notably, the following –

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. problems were identified and the levels of abilities of learners were addressed.  This is a very worrying factor and any means of improving abilities, especially in mathematics, would be much welcomed, as this is the basis on which engineering is founded.

There was a workshop on Ethics in SET that was well attended.  The factors that should be considered in negotiations and cooperation with foreign countries were addressed as well as internally in the country.

The minister of Science and Technology, Dr Mosibudu Mangena, launched the National Youth into Service (NYS) and the Federation of Science, Engineering and Technology Olympiads and Competitions (FESTOC) on 27 June at Sci-enza, the science centre of the University of Pretoria. The object of the NYS is to encourage selected young graduates and to find occupations for them until they can be absorbed into industry.  The FESTOC is designed to encourage students/learners to improve their mathematical and associated abilities.

A number of SETAG Exco meetings were attended during the year, where activities for general meetings and other matters are attended to.

Malcolm Gow, Pr Eng,(CET Representative).

No. 9. A Few Important Items From the DoL / LME workshop held in Boksburg on the 12^th of September 2008

Department of Labour (DoL) manager Mr  Monyaki indicated that there were 269 applications at the Department for registration as Lifting Machinery Entities (LME's). Approximately 50 were outstanding and some 219 are now registered.

The list of LME's is available on the Dol Website and although not up to date, it would be updated soon.

The Department has already started auditing LMEs and the intention is to audit everyone.

LME's must have a Lifting Machinery Inspector (LMI) and cannot continue operations without a LMI.

Mr. Monyaki invited delegates to make use of the pamphlets handed out which indicate the contact numbers of the regional offices of the DoL.

The Chief Inspector Mr J Malatse stated that the regulations were to standardise the industry, level the playing fields and improve safety.

LME's and LMI's have to work together. Where this is not happening full details must be reported to the DoL, as this situation is illegal.

Mr. Malatse told the delegates that if they could prove that their LME application had been submitted previously, and was one of the outstanding +-50 odd, he would allow that LME to continue trading.

It was pointed out that an LMI cannot operate on his own but must work with an LME. If a LME looses its LMI it cannot continue operating - it must employ a registered LMI.

LMI's must conform to three aspects; his scope of competence, code of conduct and ethics for specified categories, and is obliged to do his Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to ensure that he stays up to date with changes.

On the question of all LME's having to register with SANAS Mr Monyaki stated that there is the intention to transfer LME registrations to SANAS at some future date but nothing has been formalized yet so this is not required at this time.

The LEEASA presentation is available to members, from your local representative. It will also appear on the LEEASA web site in the future.

The slide show presented by Mr.Pat Moncur is available from ECSA.

It is hoped to place the full text of the notes made at the meeting on our Web site soon.

No. 10.            Statistics

ECSA has the following numbers of persons registered and the figures are going up each year!

 (Kindly note the figures change from time to time so these may not be 100% accurate but are certainly indicative of the actual numbers at the time of going to the press).

Prof Engineers            14770

Prof Engineering Technologists          3210

Prof Engineering Technicians 1874

Registered Engineering Technicians    995

Registered Master Technicians            447

Prof Certificated Engineers     1032

Registered Lift Inspectors 170

Registered Lifting Machinery Inspectors         520

CET / LEEASA has some 750 members.

No. 11.                        Volunteers to assist ECSA .

The ECSA Technicians Registration Committee is looking for volunteers to assist in the assessment of applications for registration in the following fields:

Instrumentation.

Civil

Mechanical

The workload varies but there are monthly registration committee meetings at which all applicants and assessments are tabled, discussed and finalised. The decisions taken are on the basis of consensus so no one assessor makes the final decision. Persons with the knowledge and experience in the above fields are required to assist the committee.

The volunteers must be registered with ECSA either as Professional Engineering Technicians or Technologists.

Kindly note that these are voluntary positions so no remuneration is received, however persons who are not receiving a salary or payment for the day of the meeting, such as self employed persons etc, may claim a nominal amount as well as travelling expenses. Details will be supplied to interested persons.

Please advise us by post, fax or E-Mail if you can possibly help or know of persons who can assist in this matter.

Thanks

CET PO Box 1269 Ferndale, 2160. Tel / Fax / Answering Service 011 787 1302. E mail engineer@netactive.co.za

Note.

The following mini articles follow the trend of interesting scientific and engineering developments we set in our last newsletter. We hope you find them of general interest!

Ed.

No. 12 .           Super Conductivity

University of Cambridge scientists have identified a key component to unraveling the mystery of room temperature superconductivity. This is covered in a paper published in the August edition of the journal Nature.

Superconductivity at very very low temperatures has had physicists researching the phenomena at other and also room temperatures for two decades with little practical results.

They have discovered where the charge "hole "carriers that have a huge role in superconductivity originate inside the electronic structure of copper-oxide superconductors. These findings will assist in the next steps of discoveries.

Superconductivity could potentially result in loss less electricity distribution, super fast and efficient magnetic levitated trains and super computers.

No. 13. SA Telecommunications Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC - 7-10 September 2008)

The Minister of Science and Technology Mr M Mangema in his opening address at SATNAC spoke to the theme "communication - any service anywhere, anytime."

This requires technological developments to integrate video, text, voice and data into apparently seamless communications. The reality is that many challenges exist that limits benefits from this technology. He sited; High costs of telecoms and broadband , Barriers for SMME's to enter the markets, Regulation constraints, Limited research and development and the Lack of economic connectivity to marginalized rural communities.

He also stated that research for the sake of research would not add value to our efforts to improve our economy. The Cabinet has approved a ten-year innovation plan towards a knowledge-based economy. The Department of Science and Technology aims to create world-class research leading to sustained development in the ICT industry.

The Meraka Institute (African Advanced Institute for ICT) based at the Council for Scientfic and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been mandated to lead this strategy. 

No 14.  South Africa's Satellite.

Sumbandilasat is to be launched from Russia. SA's second satellite is to go skyward in the Dec 2008 to March 2009 time frame. The launch will be from the Balkonur Cosmodrome complex, which is near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan.

The satellite is undergoing further testing at Sunspace in Stellenbosch. The main patload is a multi-spectral imager with a 6.5m ground sampling distance. Various experimental payloads are also include such as the SA-AMSAT 2m/70cm amateur radio transponder. This is for amateur radio and schools. Others are a forced vibrating string experiment from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and a very low frequency radio experiment from the University of KwaZulu Natal.

No 15. US Ethanol Producer Files for Bankruptcy.

The USA Company VeraSun production has been hit by the falling price of corn with the producer having entered into long-term contacts to buy feedstock at a high price. The round of lower than expected oil price has added to this problem. Oil prices have dropped from a high of nearly $150 a barrel to figures of slightly below $60 a barrel!

The company, which had 17 dry grind ethanol facilities under construction, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. This still allows it a slim chance of staying afloat by regrouping and renegotiating commitments.

Source Various Internet.

No 15.1.          Food Prices: Bio Fuels are not to Blame!

The latest figures indicate that the producer prices of major grains and oilseeds such as wheat, corn, soyabeans and palm oil that are used to make bio fuels are dropping drastically which indicates that the green fuels industry has played little if any role in the recent surge in food prices.

Corn, wheat and soyabeans have lost around 50% of their value now trading at around $400 a tonne in October. This from highs of around $730 a tonne earlier in 2008.

Major agricultural commodities are facing drastic drops in value which all disproves the idea of food versus fuel critics are publishing.

Source Various Internet.

No 16. World Wide Web is 18 Years Old!

Tim Berners- Lee published the first formal proposal to establish the World Wide Web as a multi media branch of the Internet in 1990.

Some highlights since then were;

1991 WWW goes public.

1992 HTML code for Web Pages

1994 Yahoo is founded.

1995 Microsoft's Internet Explorer launched.

1997 Blog word founded by Peter Merholz

1998 Google is founded.

2001 Pope uses email for first time. Apple iTunes goes on line.

2006 Web reaches more than 100 million people.

2008 Google launcehes new browser Chrome.

No 17.             Postal Delivery Statistics.

The South African Post Office chief executive M Lefoka claims that it achieves a 93% mail delivery rate and that it hopes to increase this to 95% next year. The SAPO made around R565 million in pre tax profits on a turnover of some R5.6 billion. It employs 16000 people and has 5500 service points, 2500 outlets and delivers about 6 million items a day!              

Widespread reports of theft are being tackled by spending millions in increasing security in sorting offices and branches.

Ed. Our experience shows that at least 9 per hundred certificates posted to members don’t get delivered. However in defence many certificates are returned unclaimed as members neglect to fetch them from the Post Office!

Problematic deliveries and the costs involved are the main reason why we send out Electronic News by E Mail and encourage members to look up the latest engineering news on our websites!!

No 18. E Mail Problems & Tips For Members!

To the subscribers who do not get our bulk mailed E News, we offer some tips!

Subscribers of the two Telkom email servers must simply activate their anti Spam programs on their mother pages. The step-by-step process is very user friendly; except that when you choose your parameters, simply accept their suggested values.

Absamail and other ISPs have similar rules. Check out your supplier if you experience lack of E news from us.

Members who supplied E mail addresses which end in Spoornet, Transnet, Eskom and government (Gov) etc are warned that our E Newsletter and any E mail going to a group is usually stopped as it is suspected that it is spam.

After a few repeated bounces we delete these invalid E mail addresses as it clogs our delivery system!

These members must either make arrangements with their ISP and IT people to let these through or supply a personal private E-mail address.

Please check out the failed E Mail list at the end of this newsletter!!

Those with no E-mail must please visit a friend who does have access to the Internet and / or regularly visit an Internet Café and go online to see our Web site where the E News is published. Costs are usually from around R10 for half an hour and get cheaper per minute after that.

The time to upgrade is here!! Ed.

Members are reminded that our office is staffed on a part time basis so when phoning you may only get the answering machine. We answer telephone  messages, faxes and E mails the next working day whenever possible. Also kindly note that the message and fax machine is only on from 08H00 to 18H30 each day as we have had to switch it off after hours to stop receiving advertising faxes which come through in fairly large numbers after normal office hours! If at other times the phones just ring and ring then we are experiencing a power failure.

Our Internet based alternative fax number and our E Mail on our letterhead should be operative 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

No 19. Small Adverts.

CET / LEEASA is prepared to place very small text only adverts in the Newsletter if they are deemed to be of direct interest and value to members. The Editor and Executive's decision on any particular advert is final. The adverts may not exceed 100 words and are, for the time being, free. Adverts that just advertise companies and / or their products are excluded from this offer. Other adverts, for which payment will be required, may be entertained in the future.

As our country is experiencing a difficult economic and financial crisis your organisation is trying to assist members where practical. Those seeking permanent positions in industry or those younger persons who need experiential training in order to complete their degree or diplomas may advertise their requirements with their contact details in a mini advert which will be included in the regular E Newsletter. As we also have requests from ECSA "Candidates"for Mentors, this request will also be covered in a mini advert. This is a free service to members. 

No 20.                    Adverts.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

This is available from;

Engineering and Technology Professional Cover Consultants cc (underwritten by Manwood Underwriters and Nova Risk Partners Pty Ltd)

PO Box 50070 Wierda Park, 0149

Tel 012 653 1819, Fax 086 660 8306, Cell 083 458 5309,

E-mail djj@africa.com

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And also from;

Marsh SA, Marsh Vikela (Pty) Ltd

88 Grayston Drive, Sandton, 2196

Tel 011 506 5466, Fax 086 636 5359.

E Mail Vanessa.kleber@marsh.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

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Stand alone and server versions.

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No 21. Publication Policy.

Our policy is to be informative but not to compete with Newspapers or Engineering Journals. We try to give a selective rational overview of the engineering scene relative to our members. We endeavour to cover matters of importance that might not make it into the general press. While we publish regularly, we may not always have the latest scandal! We need good technology news in terms of people, products and processes. If you have recently been promoted, moved to a different job, started a business, completed an interesting project, received an award of which you are proud, or have a handy tip to share, your news and views and letters to the editor on issues will be welcome. Don't leave it to others; we want to hear from you!

The editor reserves the right to shorten and edit letters or reject them for publication if needed.

No 22. A Small Selection of Enquiries That Hit Our Office!

The following is just for interest and perhaps a grin or two.

E Mails:-

# Hi,

Can you tell me how to register as a LME?

Answer.

Department of Labour details supplied and person directed to our Website for requirements for LME.

# Hi,

I have been trying to get hold of the Labour Department for days and days. No one seems to work there anymore. Can you perhaps tell me where I can obtain an application form to register our company as an LME?

Ja Well No Fine!

Answer.

 A diplomatic and informative answer was sent! (Full answer not reproduced here).

# Dear Sir,

I would like to apply for Technician position with your company.

I have qualified as a Technician with three years experience in consulting for existing and new XXXXX etc etc.

Answer.

 As a Voluntary Engineering Association we do not have any vacancies. (Full answer not reproduced here).

# Myself I am a qualified motor vehicle technician and would like to be a member of this engineering org. So for a person of my calibre to become a member he must meet what critera? Please send your details and contact numbers.

Answer. Details and rules were sent. (Full answer not reproduced here).

# The XXXX is trying to establish a team of LMI's to service / audit our lifting equipment on a regular basis. Can you please assist us by identifying training providers and LMIs who could help us.

Answer. Enquirer referred to our website to the list of members etc. (Full answer not  reproduced here).

# I am most annoyed as I found that I am not listed as a member.

Answer. As you have not paid any membership fees for the past three years you were written off! (Full answer not reproduced here).

Telephone messages:-

These are often from Cell phones where the speaker sounds as if they are in an extremely noisy car, shop floor, waterfall or boiler plate factory and chewing lunch while speaking!

# Dis Xyz--- grr! Hier. Bel my!

No return numbers given!!

# Hi,  Mi----here, ??? would xyz?? Join?? Burp Glug -----Phone 0?? Vamoon !@$ splatter splatter boom  89!!

# Why have I not been registered as an LMI - why are you stalling this?

(We are often mistaken for ECSA)!

 #  !!--%%&**@@xzlabc gurgle, gurgle, boom boom plonk -------------------------------!!

Also Many calls where contact numbers given result in the following message

"The number you have dialed does not exist!"

""Please try again later""

""Who - never heard of him!""

Ed. It appears we have many dyslectics out there and also many who need to be taught the correct way to communicate on the phone.

Speak clearly and slowly from a noise free area and repeat the contact details!!

No 23.    The Joke Column.

 Warning / Disclaimer.

Sensitive readers are warned that the following may erroneously be taken to contain sex, violence, strong language, gender, race, ethics etc. Readers are warned not to read or have any of the following read to them. Recommended readers age is limited to 120 and 121 years of age. A further requirement is you must have a sense of humour.

# We know about the December ghosts of Xmas Past, Present and Future.

What do ghosts do at the January sales?

They go bargain haunting!

# The very first lie detector was made out of the rib of man. No improvement has been made on the original!

# A cent saved is a government oversight.

# Work harder -- thousands of government officials depend on you!

# All work and no play will make you a manager.

# An optimist is an Irishman who buys from a Jewish wholesaler and hopes to sell at a profit to a Scott.

# There is no sense in being pessimistic - it wouldn't work anyway.

A Zimbabwean "Prayer?"

Our Leader who art in Zimbabwe,

Mugabe be thy name.

Thy kingdom's gone. Thy will can't be done

On Earth, as we wonder where is heaven.

Give us this day SOME daily bread

And forgive all the losses and devaluations

As he "forgives" those who rail against him.

Please lead us not into empty markets

And deliver us from his rule of evil

For this is the kingdom, with nothing but an

Inept hoary man, for ever and ever.

An Idjit.