Plumbing Africa is more

I trust the World Plumbing Council will not object to my plagiarising their World Plumbing Day theme‘ Plumbing is More’ in this journal’ s 30th anniversary.

This month, in celebration of Plumbing Africa’ s 30th anniversary, we got industry stalwart Rory Macnamara back in to write Fitting Thought. Thank you for your support and readership over the years.

Plumbing Africa was launched in 1994 in partnership with a local company and Gentner Verlag, Stuttgart. The first year was not a good start, not because of the journal, but the local company was not secure. I had joined this company as general manager to get it back on track. computer operated on dbase and off we went. With a high gloss cover, upgraded paper and great enthusiasm Plumbing Africa began its journey with the sole objective of writing for plumbers and only carrying advertisements for products that held the SABS Mark for compulsory standards, and being the official journal of IOPSA.

Image supplied by Rory Macnamara

At this point, the shareholders decided to liquidate. I use this example of‘ owning one’ s own company not being for sissies’, and if one’ s cash flow is not healthy one has no chance of survival.( Plumbers learn from this please.)

I had experience in building publishing. I decided to put in an offer to buy non-profit Plumbing Africa in March 1995, 30 years ago. I arrived home and informed my dear late wife, Lynn, that we now owned Plumbing Africa. Lynn, who was a direct and to-the-point point lady, asked,“ With what?”

There were no congratulations, no pat on the back, no“ well done” – nada!

Thankfully a visit to my bank manager the next day secured the funds( at a high interest rate) and the task to build a publication began. Thankfully, IOPSA at the time decided to give me a chance after I had to untangle several ridiculous promises that had been made to the institute.

With that sorted out, I proceeded feeling somewhat comforted. I approached advertisers who had their own views regarding the quality of editorial and the look and feel, which was not up to standard.

Another lesson for plumbers: do not short cut. Again thankfully, after promising to upgrade, they gave me the chance.

So, Lynn and I became the sole workers. Lynn was the finance person, and I was the salesman, working from the spare bedroom in our home. Our one

Slowly the publication grew based on face-toface contact with an industry that appreciated the essential and critical role plumbing played. Qualified plumbers who held their heads up high and still do. Sadly with democracy came the unqualified person claiming to do plumbing, products coming from all over the world that were non-compliant- and the industry is still grappling with this today. Again, credit to those that qualify and the companies that support growth in apprenticeships as part of their CSI programmes.

IOPSA created the PIRB, a voluntary registration and inspection / auditing body, and the industry is currently working on a more statutory framework for registration.

A publication is not an arm’ s length item but an essential part of the industry which found us involved in many aspects of the work of IOPSA and other bodies associated with plumbing.

The Macnamara family- including the IMD family( they are all Macnamaras even though they have different surnames)- will be eternally grateful to the industry for their input and encouragement. The media space has changed dramatically, and Plumbing Africa has adapted to this change now holding the largest registered plumbers list. PA

Rory

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September 2025 Volume 31 I Number 07 www. plumbingafrica. co. za

PlumbingAfrica_Sep2025 Plumbing Africa | Page 3

Plumbing Africa is more

Rory