ASSOCIATIONS 3
Image by Alexkalina on Freepik
From the Executive Director
By
Steve Brown
Looking ahead at 2025 .
Reading this means you have survived 2024 . If your year was anything like mine , it means you were running from one end of your world to the next , troubleshooting , taking care of family and your business , learning new things and dealing with pandemonium which arrives unannounced . Putting it succinctly : 2024 was tough .
I recall from my construction days : we would be under so much pressure to meet hand over dates and more , that then finalised we would have barely a minute to take a deep breath and do it all over again . I am sure that this has not been my experience alone .
If I had a crystal ball and was any good at predicting the future , I would be able to confidently say 2025 is going to be a breeze . However , we all know that ’ s not true , and what I can say with certainty is that we will face more challenges as the year progresses . The important thing is to remember that it won ’ t be anything we can ’ t handle .
© Plumbing Africa
Steve Brown , Executive Director , IOPSA .
We will endure challenges with infrastructure delivering water services as was seen in the latter part of 2024 . But with this comes opportunities for us as plumbers to be a part of the solution to diversify and meet the needs of our consumers . This is a good chance to learn , upskill ourselves and our staff , and to be ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest solutions .
Of course , we will be working hard . If you are running your own plumbing business , you know exactly what kind of toll it takes while you try to burn the candle at both ends . There doesn ’ t seem to be enough time in the day for work , family , exercise and all the other things we are supposed to do . I encourage you all to take some time for yourself so that you can take better care of your business and yourself . We hear a lot about work-life balance these days , and there really is something to that concept .
As IOPSA we look forward to a full calendar of events nationwide and we are excited to interact with you all at these events . We are also putting our focus on training in line with the green plumber designation so that we can help to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to be part of the water conservation solution .
I would like to thank you all for your continued support and I , along with the team at IOPSA , wish you a happy and prosperous 2025 . PA
“ The important thing is to remember that it won ’ t be anything we can ’ t handle .”
January 2025 Volume 30 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za