ASSOCIATIONS
also with respect to the introduction of CPD, which if I am
not mistaken is a first for a traditional building trade.
Lea Smith:
IOPSA president
“During my time with IOPSA, two events stand out:
• When IOPSA took the decision to establish the PIRB for
the whole of the plumbing sector; and
• Three to four years ago when IOPSA took the decision
to stop playing around in the ‘little leagues’ and truly go
big or go home.”
“If my memory serves me correctly, when I first became
involved with IOPSA, I was working for my father’s business
which was also plumbing – specifically in construction
plumbing. But true to my entrepreneurial nature I was
starting to lay the foundation for my own plumbing business
– specifically in the maintenance sector.
“To be truthful, being an honorary member of IOPSA does
not mean much to me. While it is good to be recognised,
it is not what I do it for. Like Winston Churchill said, ‘You
make a living from what you get, you make a life from what
you give’ – I wish to be remembered not for having my
name up on a board, but rather
by what I have left behind and the
difference I have made, with or
without people knowing about it.”
“I was not a founding member of IOPSA, but I assume at
the time there was a common interest to bring like-minded
individuals together so as to work and create a better
operating plumbing environment.
“As to how plumbing has changed from a
technology point of view – truthfully not much
has changed in the physical trade. Yes, while
new plumbing systems have come about,
fundamentally it is much the same – water still
flows through a pipe! The biggest change I have
seen is in the way the working environment
has changed with respect to the business side
of things, and how we engage. The speed at
which we need to operate and engage is at a
much faster pace as result of technology. You
may have survived in the physical plumbing
trade even if you did not keep pace, however if
you did not do the same in your business space
you would not have survived.
15
“There’s a Chinese proverb that
goes, ‘The best time to plant
a tree was 20 years ago. The
second best time is now.’ So,
while the first 30 years has
certainly laid a foundation, we
have started that ‘second tree’ of
true professionalism in our sector.
And this can only be done if we
Lea Smith
all work together, each and every
one contributing to this growth
and change. This industry is bigger than each of us, and
“The plumber’s role has changed since I first became
it will only truly work and give back if we all play our part,
involved with IOPSA, especially with the introduction of the
PIRB, where one is held accountable for one’s actions; and
however small.”
“My honorary membership of IOPSA was a complete
surprise but I cannot answer questions in the same way
as my honorary counterparts can. I am neither a plumber
nor technically blessed but a publisher of trade & technical
media. I have always been involved in the building sector
with a variety of building trade publications. Working with the
plumbing sector I found a passion and pride amongst the
plumbing fraternity for their trade and was drawn into the
trade by this extraordinary passion and sense of belonging.
Consequently, I involved myself with the sector to offer what I
could in terms of the neutral position I found myself in.
“A recognition like this spurred me on to really involve myself
or ‘stick my nose in’ into areas that I trust were of benefit to
the sector as a whole. The call from industry and its official
bodies for me to assist with various tasks requiring neutrality
is just that – a call, not a job – to help grow and develop
plumbing and its essential role in the health and safety of
people and our environment.
“The involvement with kindred plumbing bodies around the
world has certainly shown me how vital plumbing is. The
downside in this is that many countries suffer from the same
problem South Africa does and that is the increasing number
of unqualified people doing plumbing work and the cost of
November 2019 Volume 25 I Number 9
Rory Macnamara:
Plumbing Africa unit lead
Rory Macnamara
water losses and incompetence in our municipalities, which
contributes in no small way to water loss.
“Non-compliant products are another source of water loss
and breaking of the law. It is the downside but also sadness
that the professional plumber believes he/she has to
compete with this mess that is plumbing today. Nonetheless
bodies like IOPSA, PIRB and recently the SA Watermark,
whatever one may think, are structured for the industry by
the industry and they are working.
“Plumbing Africa and PlumbDrain serve the industry and I
am proud to part of an industry that, in spite of huge odds
and unfair criticism against it, can voluntarily achieve what
it has. An indictment on our formal governmental structures
and the industry whingers, but also perhaps shows the need
to take one’s own industry in hand and make it work.”
www.plumbingafrica.co.za