Meeting with Agrément South Africa

PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
14 February 2007
MEETING WITH AGRÉMENT SOUTH AFRICA

Chairperson: Mr F Bhengu (ANC)

Documents Handed Out:
Agrément South Africa presentation

SUMMARY
Agrément South Africa (ASA) explained that it was an agency which functioned under the Department of Public Works, and which was mandated to assess and certify non-standardised construction products in South Africa. Its achievements, successes and opportunities for innovation were outlined, and its audited financial statements were presented. Questions from Members sought clarify on the difference between ASA and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and its involvement with youth development schemes such as the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA). The Committee concluded that it was pleased with ASA and they understood its purpose and mandate.
 
MINUTES
Introductory remarks by Chairperson
The Chairperson informed Members and media present that the agenda for the meeting had changed. He requested Agrément South Africa (ASA) to address the Committee and requested that they also outline their objectives, challenges faced and proposed measures to overcome those challenges.
 
Agrément South Africa briefing
Mr J Odhiambo, ASA Manager, conducted the presentation which outlined ASAs background, current mandate and organisation structure. He explained that ASA was an independent agency which operated under a ministerial delegation of authority from the Minister of Public Works. Its mandate was to assess and certify non-standardised construction products with an aim to ensuring satisfactory innovation and technology development, and to prevent the kinds of catastrophic failures have been experienced worldwide with the introduction of new and untested technology. It was explained that ASA operated differently to- and independent from- the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The innovative systems which ASA had certificated in 2006 were outlined. Its impact and recent achievements were outlined, as well as its future plans. The ASA audited financial statements for 2005/6 were presented, and a net contingency sum of R 252 939 was reported.

Discussion
Ms M Ntuli (ANC) asked whether the Board was involved with the day-to-day operations of ASA and, if not, who monitored their functioning.

Mr R Milford (ASA Board Member) answered in the affirmative and explained that the Board was in fact monitoring the functioning of ASA.

Ms Ntuli asked if the innovative products were being checked for health related matters.

Mr Milford replied that the assessment of health-related issues did form part of its operations. He explained that ASA visited all its certificate holders at least once a year, and that each product was reviewed every three years.

Ms Ntuli expressed concern regarding import considerations, and asked whether South Africans were in fact producing innovations.
 
Mr Odhiambo responded that the majority of the foreign products were sourced locally. He also mentioned that there were South African products that were used overseas, such as an earthquake-related product that was used in Nigeria.

Mr Nxumalo (ANC) sought an explanation on the difference between ASA and SABS. He confessed that he had never before heard of ASA, but had only seen SABS-approved products.

Mr Milford replied that SABS dealt with products that had already been standardised, whereas ASA dealt with products prior their standardisation. ASA was thus involved in the innovation of products, whereas SABS dealt with the development of performance criteria and test methods for products that had already been standardised.

Mr Nxumalo asked whether ASA had a site in KwaZulu-Natal which he could visit in order to assess its work.

This question was not answered.

Mr Anthony (ANC) asked whether ASA had a role to play in skill development initiatives such as the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA).

Ms N Ncapia (ASA Board Member) responded that ASA was assisting in creating jobs, but that was an indirect function. There was a need for collaboration between government departments to tackle the issue of unemployment. However, she acknowledged that ASA was not doing very much in this regard, but indicated that it did currently have three student internships in operation.
 
Mr J Blanche (DA) asked if there was a link between ASA and construction companies. He also asked if ASA were sending building inspectors to local governments building projects. 

Mr Odhiambo replied that ASA did in fact work with municipalities, as well as with building inspectors.

Mr N Gogotya (ANC) asked if there were any measures in place to protect consumers from the building companies they dealt with.

Mr C Noyana (ASA Board Member) responded that ASA certificates stipulated that as long as the product does what it was certified to do, it could be marketed. However the moment something was at fault with the product, or if it endangered the consumer, the certificate would be there is something wrong, or it dangers the consumer the certificate would be withdrawn. There were thus measures in place to protect consumers.

Ms Ngcengwane (ANC) asked if ASA was advertising itself to the youth and, if so, what kind of activities these were. Furthermore, she asked whether ASA offered bursaries to students.

Mr Odhiambo replied that ASA was allied to the Human Science Research Council (HSRC), and the HSRC granted bursaries to number of students. In a couple of weeks ASA would be hosting a stall at the Grahamstown science festival, where they will be marketing themselves to the youth. The ASA did visit universities to advertise themselves to students.

The meeting was adjourned.