SIDE-STEPPING PRECAST CONCRETE STANDARDS - A HUGE THREAT :
Article Date: 11 May 2010
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) believes that the exclusion of SABS standards in tender documents issued by local and national government bodies for precast concrete products poses a serious threat to construction standards as a whole as well as to the community at large.
In some instances, the consequences are immediately apparent, as in the failed Mdanzani affordable housing project in East London. Often, however, the failures take many years to present themselves, for instance in leaking outfall sewers, and are extremely disruptive and expensive to remedy.
The non-specification of SABS approved precast concrete products by public procurers is being experienced by most CMA producer members and is of deep concern to them.
CMA director, Hamish Laing, observes that companies which carry the SABS mark are operating at a competitive disadvantage, as those producers who don’t carry the mark can drop prices by skimping on materials and production procedures.
“Mark holders spend more money in providing products which carry the mark and which are produced in ISO 9001 or ISO 9000 listed factories. If public procurers continue to ignore national standards the time is approaching when it will be simply not worthwhile for major players in the precast concrete industry to subscribe to national standards. We must not allow this to happen as the type of shoddy construction practice we have recently witnessed in the affordable housing market will spread to the rest of the industry, with disastrous consequences for all South Africans.”
Gerhard Rossouw, technical director of Rocla, says the dropping of national standards by local governments is a huge frustration for those companies which hold the SABS mark. As he says, how does one tell the public that their tax money is being used for something that may very well let them down in five or 10 years, rather than lasting for 40 years or more.
“I believe that the SABS has lost much of its clout and doesn’t seem interested in backing its permanent mark holders. It’s a statutory body that was established in terms of the Standards Act, 1945 (Act No. 24 of 1945), and in terms of the latest edition of the Standards Act, 2008 (Act No. 29 of 2008) it operates as the national institution for the promotion and maintenance of standardisation and quality on commodities and services. Surely it is in the public interest for state funds to be spent on goods and services which are subject to these standards and which offer some form of life-expectancy guarantee?"
Paul Deppe, MD of Technicrete agrees and adds: “Even in cases where SABS standards are specified manufacturers who don’t hold the mark but claim to manufacture to its requirements often win the contracts on that basis and this makes a mockery of the whole standards process,” he says.
Bosun Brick MD, David Wertheim Aymes, comments that without sound infrastructure, life as we know it is not sustainable.
“It is absolutely critical that when we have the funds we use them prudently. If we don’t, and we don’t get infrastructural construction right, everything else in the national economy will be adversely affected.”
Laing adds that since its inception, the CMA has worked closely with the SABS in the drafting and preparation of standards for the precast concrete industry.
“These are in line with best-practice international standards. However, unless they are implemented they are of little or no benefit.”
Gary Steyn, MD of INFRASET, makes the point that standards in the precast concrete industry are actually becoming more stringent and many precast concrete products in South Africa are world-class.
“In most instances the private sector insists that they are applied, however, it is in the public procurement of precast products where the concern lies. Longevity is one of the benefits of precast products, and by ignoring or just paying lip-service to the relevant standards, public procurers are spurning this advantage,” he says.
Fortunately, pockets of excellence still exist in South Africa and as Frank Makamo, General Manager (Mechanical and Materials) of SABS Commercial (Pty) Ltd, points out, the country can still boast some of the world’s best concrete technology.
“However, it would be dangerous to rest on our laurels. Local companies which are still capable of producing to these standards will either cease to exist or move offshore if we don’t reverse the current trend.
“This poses the question as to how we can ensure that local government and the upcoming entrepreneurial class understand the importance of national standards. To this end, an urgent SABS priority under the leadership of the new CEO, Dr Boni Mehlomakulu, will be to invite various government departments standards workshops. We will engage with them on how best to entrench a culture based on high nationally-based standards, rather than one which is price driven.
“We intend adopting a strategy which will ensure that the smaller entrepreneur is trained and equipped to produce to SABS standards, while at the same time doing everything in our power to ensure that bodies such as the Department of Public Works and local governments specify the SABS mark in their tender documents. There is no reason why SMMEs should not be able to provide quality products which meet international best practice standards. I am optimistic that we will meet this challenge,” concludes Makamo.
DATE: May 2010
ISSUED BY: David Beer Communication Consultants
FOR: Concrete Manufacturers Association
ENQUIRIES: Hamish Laing, 011 805 6742
David Beer 011 478 0239 or 082 880 6726. Email: bigsky@ibi.co.za
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