PERSONALITY PROFILE
“My father and grandfather were both in
construction and my school holidays from the
age of 13 were spent helping the family business
in Nigel where I grew up, leaving home at 06:00.
Later, I was grateful for that experience because
when I was in Grade 10 my father went into
hospital. While visiting, he said to me, “Here’s the
bakkie keys, forget about school – you need to
take the team to site.” Never mind that I was 16
and hadn’t a driver’s licence yet! But I did it – the
business needed to go on.”
Sadly, the business closed four years later, when Botha’s
father died in a car accident, while he was doing
compulsory military service and was refused leave to
take it over. “The business folded and after my service
I consequently had to do something else.” The route
back to construction became a tortuous path, with stints
working for a bank and finally as an estate agent, before
he started a side-hustle back in general construction.
“From that, I started getting more interested in the
plumbing side of construction, first general plumbing and
then with more of a specialisation in solar water heating
in the mid-90s when solar started coming out,” he says.
Plunging into plumbing
“At this point I realised I need to get a qualification. I
could do the job, but I had no papers to prove it. This
realisation came from the fact that you cannot get as
much work as you otherwise could with the correct
paperwork. I consequently went to a plumbing-specific
training company called Watersmith and took the ARPL
route. Fortunately, throughout my working career I had
taken photos and kept references of people I had done
work for, and this stood me in good stead. Once I got the
trade test for the plumbing qualification and registered
with PIRB, I did solar training (NQF 4),” says Botha.
He proceeded with a career in plumbing and did well.
It got to a point where, at his age, crawling around in
ceilings wasn’t fun anymore. He had caught the training
bug and says, “Although I love the industry I decided to
go full-time into training – of plumbing of course.”
“The reason for my interest in training was that I had
seen from my own experience of appointing people
from the street who knew nothing. In fact, my normal
job function already consisted mostly of training workers
and I felt that that level of training was not enough. Due
to limited experience these guys don’t really get an
opportunity to become a business owner for themselves.
The industry had treated me well, and I felt the need to
give something back, because the skills issue is a huge
industry challenge that needs to be addressed.”
He started working for a private training college, Africa
International Training in Kempton Park, before moving
on to a TVET College (Ekurhuleni East) as a facilitator,
and quickly rose to manage the entire training centre
March 2020 Volume 26 I Number 01
covering 13 different trades. While in the training
environment, he developed closer relationships with
the IOPSA Training Management and late 2019, was
induced back.
On the job
The job is broader than just training; it embraces
technical support for all the members, doing audit
inspections and investigating consumer complaints.
“What’s exciting about this job is that I’m at the coal
face in an industry where there is always more to learn,
and where circumstances and regulations are constantly
evolving. At IOPSA I have access to incredible resources
and all the regulations, so I always have a point of
reference even if I’m not familiar with some question.
“Now I am directly addressing the core need in this
industry, which is for more technical training – by
bringing training resources and the plumbing industry
closer together. Previously, it has always been ‘them’ and
‘us’.” From an IOPSA perspective, the appointment of
technical managers will be rolled out over time to all the
provinces as the opportunity and funding arises.
Botha says he has experienced a pleasant surprise
from many IOPSA members to find someone from
IOPSA coming to their premises or even onsite to visit
them. Technical queries tend to be on areas where
plumbers and even members of the public have some
uncertainty, he says, asking questions about regulations
or installations. Queries from the public come via the
Enquiries (or Complaints) Portal on the IOPSA website.
“The main reason for the existence of IOPSA is to
improve the plumbing industry, and so I deal not just with
IOPSA members (who are both plumbers and suppliers
of plumbing equipment and parts), but with public as
much as other plumbers. It cuts both ways: we look after
the plumbers but also raise their status by advising the
consumer as to avoid unqualified plumbers. Consumers
have the problem of, who do they go to? We’re available
for them as well where they have technical issues that
they want addressed.
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“Now I am
directly
addressing the
core need in
this industry,
which is for
more technical
training –
by bringing
training
resources and
the plumbing
industry closer
together.
Previously,
it has always
been ‘them’
and ‘us’.”
“Most of my time I spend with members, which at the
moment probably consumes about 70% of my time,
because I also do training with them. Through my visits
to plumbers I start to find out what their needs are, what
training and other support they need, and thereafter
provide it directly to their staff as needs be. For IOPSA
members, this is a free service,” says Botha. This is an
activity he is expanding over time.
“Consumer Complaints are more of an ad hoc activity
– as they occur. I also get some complaints which are
more substantial than just providing advice over the
phone – they are issues where the matter goes to court,
where we act as impartial experts and witnesses. In
cases where the public is being bullied by a plumber, we
also act as intermediary having audited the work as to
compliance. PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za