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The South African Qualification & Certification Committee (SAQCC) Fire is an industry-elected body established to ensure that individuals working within this sector of the fire industry have the appropriate competence through training, qualifications, and experience in compliance with:

The specifications laid out in SANS 1475 for portable fire extinguishers,

The requirements of SANS 14520 and/or SANS 306 where individuals and companies designing, installing, commissioning, and servicing gaseous fire extinguishing systems,

The requirements of SANS 10139 where individuals and companies designing, installing, commissioning, and servicing fire detection and alarm systems.

Following a directive given to the SAQCC-Fire by the Department of Employment and Labour, an additional SAQCC-fire detection and gas suppression committee was set up to establish and implement procedures for the qualification and certification of authorised persons in order to ensure safety, quality of work and high standards of excellence within the industry.

SAQCC-Fire works closely with Certification Bodies approved by the Department of Employment and Labour to ensure standards are met and technicians and servicing companies adhere to the law. The South African Qualification & Certification Committee (SAQCC) Fire is a Non-Profit Company.

The SAQCC-Fire has:

  1. Established a MOI (Memorandum of Incorporation) which provides assurance that, no matter who is elected to the committee, the management has a set of rules it shall follow. This ensures that the SAQCC-Fire is not an old man’s club where the rules can be changed as some person feels like it.
  2. Created a representative body (SAQCC-Fire committee), which is made up of elected Directors and Executive members. The Directors and committee members are voted in by the technicians or their representative, and their main purpose is to serve fire technicians.
    • The representative body provides technicians with access to major forums, e.g. DEL, SANS, NRCS, PER, SANAS etc. This gives technicians, and the industry in general, more say in decision making.
    • There is a full time GM. This ensures technicians have a point of contact for advice, assistance or to lay complaints.
      Note: Committee members offer their time freely without remuneration. The committee members are representative of a wide range of companies and expertise. Technicians therefore have free access to some of the top ‘fire brains’ in the country.
  3. On instructions from The Department the SAQCC-Fire has regulated the fire industry by certifying the competence of fire technicians. This in turn has endorsed fire technicians’ professionalism. At the same time, it has ensured safe practise in work being undertaken by technicians. Competence has not only been certified, it has been certified in three main fields with sub levels within the fields e.g. Portable fire extinguishers, fire detection and gaseous fire suppression systems. Industry wants to use competent technicians as it gives them assurance that the work is being carried out by a professional. A badge is provided to verify technicians’ levels of competence.
  4. Driven knowledge and kept our technicians informed of current events. This is done via:
    • Newsletters
    • Bulk SMSs
    • Road shows
    • Training courses
  5. Helped fire technicians establish a career path.
  6. Driven the QCTO process. This is a long process that the SAQCC-Fire is driving, as it most important.
  7. Ensured that no legal matters are handled in house: a legal firm provides counsel and advice. Should there be hearings, the SAQCC-Fire has an independent Chairman to sit on these.

Organisational structure

 

 

Nichola Allan

Chair

Nichola worked in the industry in her native Ireland, after obtaining her B.Eng Honors in electrical and electronic engineering and diploma in Marketing.  Nichola runs a fire detection distribution company and is a registered detection designer. She completed FIA Training in Advance Fire Detection Design in 2016 and has contributed extensively to the SAQCC fire detection training materials as well as working on the D&GS committee in various positions.

Lizl Davel

Vice Chair

Lizl has been the director of a fire company for 30 years, as well as serving on fire industry bodies. She has an intimate knowledge of 1475 products and services, SANAS gas test station services, and a good understanding of detection, gaseous and water systems.

Lizl has spent many years leading the 1475 committee and her contribution to the industry continues in her new role.

Matt Kielty

Treasurer

Matt has been involved in the fire industry for so long we haven’t got the space to list his full history.  He has managed and run a number of installation companies, so his practical industry experience is invaluable in the industry.  He has been involved in the SAQCC Fire for many years and has been instrumental in many of the assessments for D&GS.He has been re-elected into the Treasurer position which is testament to the trust the committees have in him.

Belinda vd Merwe

1475 Chair

Belinda holds a Baccalaureus degree in Town and Regional Planning (Cum Laude) and a B.Com (Hons) Economics (Cum Laude). She is registered as Professional Planner at SACPLAN, and holds an IFE Level 2 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations and Safety. She is also a qualified SAQCC Fire service technician and current Chairman of FFETA.

Brett Birch

D&GS Chair

Brett holds a B.Sc.Eng (Electronics) and IMM Sales Management Certificate and is a registered SAQCC fire detection designer. He has 24 years’ experience designing fire detection systems, manufacturing fire detection equipment, and in sales, marketing and distribution of fire detection systems. Brett held the position as Treasurer for D&GS and has been instrumental in working with the QCTO to help industry qualifications.

Belinda van der Merwe

Chair

Belinda holds a Baccalaureus degree in Town and Regional Planning (Cum Laude) and a B.Com (Hons) Economics (Cum Laude). She is registered as Professional Planner at SACPLAN, and holds an IFE Level 2 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations and Safety. She is also a qualified SAQCC Fire service technician and current Chairman of FFETA.

JJ Scholtz

Vice Chair

JJ has a Masters Degree in Theology, a Diploma in Psychology, 2nd year LLB with UISA, a diploma in Education and is a minister in Religion. He has more than 10 years within the fire industry and was previously Treasurer of the SAQCC Fire 1475 Committee for a number of years.  He is a qualified SAQCC Fire 1475 technician and a qualified Insurance Advisor.

Ian Gouwns

Treasurer

Details to Follow

Ben Badenhorst

Details to follow.

Duncan Boyes

Experience: 30 years in the fire industry.

Represent the SABS at ISO meetings; SABS working committees;

Qualification: HDE; FIN Man; IMM; IFE2.

Expertise: Manufacturing of fire extinguishers; detection and gas systems.

Past Chair of SAQCC Fire

Gary Brown

Details to follow

Tim de Bruyn

Tim started in the fire equipment service industry in 1988, servicing portables at Fire Action. He then went on to installation and maintenance of Detection and Suppression Systems. Tim saw the need in the market for training and started offering amongst other courses, the 1475 technician training. Tim now heads up Alute SA offering training, consulting and support to entrepreneurs starting their own businesses.

Lizl Davel

Vice Chair

Lizl has been the director of a fire company for 30 years, as well as serving on fire industry bodies. She has an intimate knowledge of 1475 products and services, SANAS gas test station services, and a good understanding of detection, gaseous and water systems.Lizl has spent many years leading the 1475 committee and her contribution to the industry continues in her new role.

Meshak Gabeni Jnr

Meshack Holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Management Accounting from the University of Venda and a Diploma in Business Management. Meshack also holds various Certificates in Tourism, Human Resource Management and Marketing. He is also trained in Bible study with Certificates. He is the Part Owner of Mega Fire Projects, a company with more than 30 years in the businesses of fire safety and environmental concerns.

Pre Govender

Pre holds the position of Operations Manager at Fire Check, and is solely responsible for the company’s fire stopping division, as well as its SANAS accredited test station and ISO 9001 quality system.

Pre is a qualified assessor and facilitator and holds an array of fire and safety related certificates.

Raymond Nel

TO FOLLOW

Johan Pretorius

Studied ND (Tech) diploma (mechanical) and always worked in manufacturing. Joined the fire security industry in 1993 and became Manufacturing Manager at an international fire extinguisher manufacturing facility. Expertise is in manufacturing and technical specifications of fixed and portable fire equipment, fire suppression systems and dry chemical fire extinguishing powder (DCP).  He’s current SABS SC and TC committee member.

Barry Quicke

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Albert Smit

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

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