SA Affordable Housing September / October 2020 | Page 13

ASSOCIATIONS
choices can drive up the TCO, and that ultimately affects
sustainability and affordability,” explains Campbell.
Choice of materials has become a further issue, he says, as
the testing and certification of materials is another capability
in which the country has fallen behind. “For instance, one of
the biggest challenges is the import of cement into South
Africa considerably cheaper than locally produced cement.
The imported cement is often not tested and a builder will
simply buy the cheapest. If the quality is inferior, it only
manifests itself afterwards when the builder is long gone.
“Whereas an owner builder may exercise more caution
and consideration in the choice of materials, as they would
be responsible for the costs of future maintenance if poor
material choices were made – in a mass development
project the future homeowner has little choice. The capital
costs may seem reasonable and affordable at the time of
purchase, whereas the long-term maintenance costs could
pose a problem in respect of the availability of funds to
maintain and repair. Poor material choices and lack of proper
construction oversight at construction stage unfortunately
exacerbate this problem. There is the risk then that the
dwelling is no longer considered affordable as the owner has
to re-invest considerable amounts of money which may not
then be available,” says Campbell.
SAPMA’s African initiatives
praised by World Coatings Council
The South African Paint Manufacturing Association (SAPMA) plays a
dominant and exceptionally important role in the goals and operations of
the World Coatings Council (WCC), according to its president, Andy Doyle.
WORLD COATINGS COUNCIL
Doyle, based at the WCC headquarters in Washington,
was the guest speaker in the recent SAPMA online
annual general meeting. “South Africa stands out
both in consumption and influence among the 60 countries
that make up the Middle East and Africa Chapter of the WCC.
South Africa’s annual production volume is 12% and its
yearly coatings output is valued at 17% of the MEA
Chapter’s values with SA demand for architectural and
automotive coatings among the highest in the MEA,” Doyle
told the meeting.
He praised the enterprise and initiatives emanating from
SAPMA that contributed to one of the WCC’s main goals:
sustainability. Sapma – and South Africa – is regarded by the UN
as the strongest proponent for the elimination of lead in paint on
the African continent and has
often in the past been consulted
by the WCC (a UN-recognised
NGO) on the global initiative
towards lead elimination. “The
efforts of Sapma in this regard
are highly commendable and
hugely appreciated by the WCC,”
Doyle states.
Established in 1992 as the
International Paint and Printing
Ink Council (IPPIC), the WCC was
initially formed for information
exchange and cooperation on
issues facing the paint and
World Coatings Council
president Andy Doyle.
industries worldwide but later
evolved into a highly-respected
global advisory organisation.
Doyle told the AGM that apart from sustainability, other important
current WCC objectives include:
• The support of the availability of safe, effective biocides in
paint production
• The broadening of efforts to deal with plastic pollution
caused by coatings manufacture
• The elimination of Indian child labour in the sourcing
of mica which is globally used as raw material for paint
production, and
• The prevention of EU propagation for the classification of
titanium dioxide
SAPMA APPOINTS NEW ED
Tara Benn has been appointed Executive Director of the SA Paint
Manufacturing Association (Sapma) in succession to Deryck
Spence who has retired after
11 years in this position.
Benn, who joined
Sapma in 2016, was the
association’s Training and
Administration Manager
before assuming the post of
SAPMA Assistant Executive
Director last year. She has had
a diversified career involving
staff recruitment, service
at a leading international
accounting firm and, in
Botswana, was part of a project
management company and
also carried out educational
duties early in her career.
Executive Director of the SA Paint
Manufacturing Association
(SAPMA), Tara Benn.
EAMONN RYAN
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020 11