Even though the past year has proved to be more challenging than the previous one for our members and the construction industry as a whole, it has been a successful one for SAMCRA with increased membership and a number of goals achieved.
In September 2015 we presented a workshop to the final year architectural students at Tshwane University. The workshops presented in Kenya during April 2016 were successful and we have been invited to present similar workshops in Tanzania and Uganda. In July we participated in a presentation on the installation of PV cells on metal roofs to the engineer responsible for sustainability and utilities at Growthpoint Properties and have subsequently been invited to present a workshop on metal cladding to their projects department. Our proposals to the Department of Public Works for a series of workshops for their architects, quantity surveyors and engineers, as well as building inspectors have been accepted. We plan to present our first workshop for architects in January/February and are currently preparing a workshop for design engineers and will participate in the SAISC workshop for quantity surveyors.
Whilst we have not been able to persuade insurance underwriters and developers to become members of SAMCRA we continue to act as paid technical consultants to various parties.
During the year we published a number of articles on a variety of subjects pertaining to metal cladding which have been well received. Our website is proving popular
(average 139 hits/mth in 1st half of the financial year and 377/mth in 2nd half) and has resulted in numerous requests for assistance, information and enquiries about workshops.
In the last year, we gained three new members, but regrettably lost one. There are five applications pending.
SAMCRA participated in the dti industry workgroup for the amendments to
the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act. Whilst the draft for the amendments to the Act has been completed, work has yet to begin on the amendments to the National Building Regulations. SAMCRA has continued to participate on a number of SABS Technical Committees which are relevant to the cladding industry, including TC-60 which is responsible for the SANS 10400 series. Although the final draft for the revisions to SANS 10400
Part-L ‘Roofs’ was issued to the members of TC-60 for acceptance in August, it failed to receive sufficient votes for acceptance due to the inertia of some members to cast their ballot. An extension to the end of September suffered a similar fate. The SABS secretariat has been instructed to issue a notice of cancellation of membership to the recalcitrant members, should they not have voted by October 31. The sub-committee responsible for the revision
to SANS 10400 Part-XA has failed to complete its work and has been given a deadline of 30 November to comply. The final draft of SANS 10237 ‘The design, testing and installation of self-supporting metal cladding’ has also stalled. Following meetings with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications we are being encouraged to apply to have SANS 10237 made a compulsory specification, however, this will be a lengthy process.
We have had encouraging discussions with members of the academic staff at North-West University regarding the establishment of a testing facility for metal cladding on the campus and await their formal written proposal. New work items are the establishment
of a training programme for installers of cladding and the drafting of a cladding handbook/s.