FITTING THOUGHT
3
The pride of being an
IOPSA plumber
Notwithstanding a high rate of unemployment, it is sometimes
a struggle to get younger people to become plumbers. This is
because of perceptions. IOPSA calls on every qualified plumber
to do his/her bit to change that perception and to feel pride in
what they do.
Plumbers are an integral part of that class of people
called tradesmen: part of the breed that takes Mother
Nature’s resources, harnesses them, and in the case
of water, pipes them through to each lot of land.
They built the houses we live in, and the offices and
factories where we work. They connect these cities
and towns with highways, railroads, and airports.
They string lights throughout the country and gave us
clean drinking water and fuel for heating our homes.
They move the land and sea to carve our way of life.
They operate bulldozers and dynamite and cut down
mountains. Plumbers are Masters of Earth.
It seems anyone would aspire to be part of this industry,
and yet it seems like there is insufficient pride in this
noble profession today. Fifty years ago and more, being a
tradesman was a prideful thing. Large portions of South
Africa’s population were blue-collar workers who made
things with their own hands, perfecting their own craft and
mastering their skills. The construction industry, of which
plumbing is a core part, built South Africa, and tradesmen
were a thriving, breathing, unstoppable force.
There was no bragging or bravado needed. They could do
the most physically demanding task like it was nothing,
and do it all day long only to move onto the next impossible
task. They were the best at what they did and they knew it.
Children were proud of what their parent did for a living.
To such people, sitting in an office filling out paperwork
or answering phones sounds horrific. Why would anyone
do that when they could be doing meaningful, physically
creative work with their hands? What people sometimes
fail to realise is that while the bankers and businessmen
are making decisions on what to do with other people’s
money or an investment, plumbers are making life-or-death
decisions because the health of a nation is derived from
clean drinking water and effective sanitation. Puts it in
perspective, doesn’t it? Our problem is plumbers just make
it look too easy.
Plumbers should be treated like royalty. However, where
plumbers are treated in any manner other than like royalty, it
is within our control to change that. The journey to changing
April 2020 Volume 26 I Number 02
that is for every qualified plumber to regard him/herself like
royalty, and to start by being far more professional in the way
they conduct themselves.
People who work with their hands tend by nature to be
humble towards hard work, to be quiet and respectful human
beings with a certain type of dignity. This is quite different to
the egotistical banker or accountant, who have never had to
work until they literally bleed.
The truth is plumbers completely understand what it means
to do meaningful work and feel accomplishment. Everything
that they do takes a mastery of engineering, science,
practical wisdom, financial prowess, and years and years of
experience that has been passed down through centuries of
craftsmen.
People — young people in particular — can feel great pride
in being part of the plumbing trade class. PA
Eamonn
Eamonn Ryan, Editor
[email protected]
Twitter:
@plumbingonline
Facebook:
@plumbingonline
Linked-In:
@PlumbingAfricaOnline
www.plumbingafrica.co.za