22 OPINION PIECE
When compliance becomes optional, plumbing gets dangerous
By
Maryna Landman, MBA, Director of Strategy & Compliance at Alpha Plumbing
A customer says,“ I bought a geyser online for a bargain. Not the ridiculous prices you plumbers charge. Just come and install it.” You arrive, and it’ s second-hand.‘ Refurbished’.‘ Reconditioned’. Whatever word makes it sound responsible.
The price is cheap because the risk is hidden Cheap plumbing often means missing line items you only pay for later. The quote looks good because it excludes the boring things that stop disasters – proper valves, correct components, testing, documentation, traceability. And when something fails, the shortcut seller vanishes into the scroll. You don’ t. You’ re the one with a name, a number and a reputation.
The NRCS has warned specifically about refurbished domestic geysers that don’ t meet technical requirements, and stresses that proof of compliance, such as an LOA, is non-negotiable – because the consequences aren’ t theoretical. Faulty units can cause ceiling damage, major water loss and electric shock. 1, 2
The‘ competition conspiracy’‘ Competition’ has become the word used to throttle professional plumbers.
In June 2022, SANS 10254( geyser installations) was revised and CoC requirements were removed, while installation requirements stayed unchanged. 3, 4
Why? The Competition Commission’ s 2022 / 23 annual report mentions a complaint that a CoC requirement tied to voluntary entities creates barriers to entry. The Commission chatted with SABS, and these requirements were scrapped. 5
Now, I get the general idea. Strict barriers to entry matter. We don’ t want an industry designed to lock people out unfairly. But encouraging competition isn’ t a conspiracy, it’ s what keeps an industry healthy.
The verification vacuum What matters now is this: we weakened compliance proof for the sake of‘ fairness’ and then failed to replace it with a single clear and trusted alternative.
So, what’ s left? A verification vacuum – and vacuums don’ t stay empty. They get filled by the cheapest shortcut that looks official enough.
Add South Africa’ s inconsistent enforcement reality. Some municipalities make it explicit that that CoCs aren’ t enforceable unless a policy or bylaw requires it. 6 Translation: the public hears‘ optional’. The market hears‘ race to the bottom’.
‘ Race to the bottom’ in real life‘ Race to the bottom’ is business shorthand for a market that competes mainly on being cheaper than the next guy – and the only way to keep winning is to cut corners. So instead of‘ Who’ s the safest, skilled and most reliable?’ it becomes:‘ Who can do it for the least?’
When price becomes the only yardstick in plumbing, the cutting starts where customers can’ t see it: time, supervision, pressure testing, correct materials, insurance and paperwork. All of the unglamorous stuff that prevents disasters.
It usually plays out like this: a homeowner gets three quotes. One is realistic. One is‘ cheap but maybe OK’. One is ridiculously low. The lowest quote wins – not because it’ s better, but because plumbing feels like a grudge purchase and everyone is under pressure. The compliant plumber is forced into a corner: lose the job or match a price that doesn’ t cover compliant work.
Proof shopping and paperwork theatre Corporate procurement has adapted – not by making compliance proof simpler and consistent, but by creating more ways to tick a box.
For example, one insurer’ s criteria require plumbers to be licensed to issue or sign off a CoC and then recognise registration via an explicit list of official plumbing bodies 7. For clarity: I’ m not attacking anyone here. I’ m pointing to a system failure: when buyers accept multiple compliance proof routes without a single, straightforward verification standard, we don’ t get‘ healthy competition’. We get proof-shopping and paperwork theatre.
And that’ s the race-to-the-bottom logic in paperwork form: multiple‘ goodenough’ proofs instead of one clear standard everyone that respects.
www. plumbingafrica. co. za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline March 2026 Volume 32 I Number 01