FITTING THOUGHT 1
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The power of language
We all know what an illegal miner is. But what do we call someone carrying out plumbing work outside the rules – and why doesn ' t the language around it have the same clarity and punch to the ordinary South African?
I recently came across an article on the African Mining, incorporating Mining Mirror website. The headline instantly caught my attention:‘ Govt says R100m fine or 30 years ' imprisonment for illegal miners.’
And I immediately thought: why do I – someone not in the mining industry – instantly know what an illegal miner is, and how serious the situation is in South Africa?
This led me to my next question: Why does South Africa not have a single, recognisable term for unqualified people doing plumbing work that we as an industry can use with the public? One that could carry the same weight as‘ illegal miner’ and communicate the seriousness of an issue affecting a natural resource.
To clarify, I am not suggesting that plumbers should face the same penalties as illegal miners, nor am I suggesting that‘ illegal’ is necessarily the term we should adopt. I am suggesting that language holds power, especially when that language is understood in a similar way across a range of people.
A two-second Google search for‘ illegal mining’ gives you an immediate answer – even Google presents a concise definition.
We understand what illegal mining is and what it entails. Asked to explain it, most South Africans could probably give a similar answer: someone extracting minerals without the required legal authorisation.
I then did another two-second Google search, this time for‘ illegal plumbing’.
It is a very different story. You find references to illegal plumbing installations. You find unqualified plumbers. Unregistered plumbers. Noncompliant plumbing work. Unauthorised work.
All of these terms may have their own technical and legal meanings that we, as an industry, understand – and I am certainly not suggesting we throw those distinctions out the window.
But Google or Meta could not give me that one, bolded single-line answer that it did for Illegal mining.
So, that lead me to my next question – what would the ordinary South African understand if they tried that search?
The consumer’ s perspective If I say“ illegal miner”, most people know exactly what I mean. If I say“ unregistered plumber”, will a consumer necessarily understand what that means?
If I say“ non-compliant plumbing installation”, will they understand the potential seriousness of the problem?
That, for me, is the interesting part – and why I want to shine a spotlight on the language we use.
The plumbing industry has spent years talking about qualifications, registration, compliance, standards and the importance of using competent people. There are laws and regulations governing who may perform plumbing work, and we understand the differences between unqualified, unregistered, unauthorised and non-compliant, because those distinctions are important to us.
But to the average consumer, these terms may not carry the same immediate meaning without further explanation.
Language matters‘ Illegal mining’ has been spoken and written about so often that the public shares a fairly uniform understanding of what the term means and what the activity entails. Constant media coverage has also reinforced the understanding that this is a significant national issue.
So, would clearer, more recognisable language change the way consumers understand plumbing?
Could the industry develop a uniform term, simple enough for the public to understand, and then use it consistently enough that the issue becomes as recognisable as illegal mining?
I don ' t have the answer.
Maybe the first step is simply finding common language that the public can understand. PA
Megan
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November 2026 Volume 32 I Number 09 www. plumbingafrica. co. za