ASSOCIATIONS 3
From the executive director
By
Steve Brown, IOPSA executive director
We celebrate the 30th anniversary of Plumbing Africa which is a monumental occasion. Plumbing Africa has been the official journal of IOPSA since inception and has been part of our involvement with the World Plumbing Council.
We celebrate the 30th anniversary of Plumbing Africa which is a monumental occasion. Plumbing Africa has been the official journal of IOPSA since inception and has been part of our involvement with the World Plumbing Council.
Plumbing Africa has walked shoulder-to-shoulder with IOPSA through all these years, and has been part of the major achievements in our industry. The magazine has contributed to making a difference in the plumbing sector in South Africa.
The first World Plumbing Conference( WPC) was held in South Africa at Sun City back in 1999. This is still viewed as one of the best conferences. We got the chance to host a second conference in 2016 in Cape Town which was another huge success, incorporating a skills competition, exhibition and breakaway sessions during the course of the conference. have a great deal of respect and gratitude to Gary( Macnamara) who was our executive director for a good few years. We truly appreciate the efforts of the current team: Sean Macnamara, Mari Macnamara, Dale Macnamara, Tanya Olckers and Rory Macnamara – the most retired individual I know!
So many memories have been created on this journey. The set up of the Plumbdrain expo at NASREC has evolved into a countrywide travelling exhibition: PTE. At one stage Rory stepped in to chair the Gauteng region.
As IOPSA we wish to thank all staff – past and present. A heartfelt thank you. We don’ t always agree and our discussions are robust, but we always come back to our common goal of doing what’ s best for the industry. Thank you.
It’ s easy to forget how much work goes into one of these events, not to mention the challenges that go along with it.
I recall going to present the bid to the World Plumbing Council in Edinburgh, Scotland and Rory Macnamara, Lee Goldie and I were to present the bid. We each prepared our script and my plane was delayed, which was something we had not anticipated. The guys pleaded for a delayed time to present our bid – and they pulled it off!
And Rory, thank you for this and for noting I get the last word! PA
" What a journey!"
Picture supplied by Steve Brown
Rory had arranged a car for us when we had to attend a WPC committee meeting in Cape Town. This proved to be an absolute comedy with five burly men cramming themselves into a Fiat 500 two door. We seriously needed a sunroof on that car, but given Rory’ s height, we might have looked like we were transporting a giraffe.
Our journey with Plumbing Africa and the relationship that has been built along with it has become so much more. Great friendships have grown through this, and these continue to grow stronger through the years. We
Steve Brown, IOPSA Executive Director
September 2025 Volume 31 I Number 07 www. plumbingafrica. co. za