Steel Construction Vol 40 No 3 - Mining, Industrial, Import/ Export | Página 29

SAISC SUBSIDIARIES: POLASA POLASA assisting with implementation of power line hardware designation “POLASA has had several constructive engagements with Eskom’s Technical, Quality, Commercial and SD&L teams to implement the said designation in its entirety.” by Kobus De Beer, Director, Polasa www.polasa.co.za POLASA has worked very closely with the DTI for some years to have power line hardware “designated”, ie South African local manufactured content specified for government buying. This resulted on 21st October 2015 in a formal Government Instruction Note issued to all government buyers. It stated that steel power pylons, monopole pylons, steel substation structures, street lighting steel poles, steel lattice towers and masts as well as power line hardware procured for use in SA, must be of 100% South African content. Designation includes all power line hardware components, regardless of the material(s) used. Aluminium fittings and ceramic insulators are therefore included with all the steel and other components. ESKOM embarked on a local content initiative some years ago by introducing “LAP” lists (“Locally Approved Products”), listing products (and companies) approved to supply power line hardware requirements for both transmission and distribution. Unfortunately, this system was not equally applied in all provinces, and a number of enterprising importers managed to have their products included in the LAP lists, in spite of them being 100% imported! POLASA has had several constructive engagements with Eskom’s Technical, Quality, Commercial and SD&L (Subcontractor Development and Localization) teams to implement the said designation in its entirety. A number of examples of non-compliant imported washers, eye bolts and rod-ends were tabled, indicating the difficulties of inspecting final products. The examples all represented safety critical components. These engagements have led to POLASA undertaking to arrange industry workshops on clearly identifying the designated power line products (using Eskom’s LAP lists and SAP numbers) so that the descriptions (used for procurement) can be edited to include a specific text, which clearly identifies the products to be purchased only from South African manufacturers. The first workshop was very well attended and focused on Distribution products. Others will follow shortly. A comprehensive list is being compiled for submission and discussion with ESKOM’s Commercial, Technical, QA and SD&L representatives. The objective is to ensure that there can be no confusion from the Eskom buyers, wholesalers and / or suppliers as to which products are designated and which are not. This list will also be widely distributed to all those inside and outside Eskom, including wholesalers and municipalities, to ensure 100% adherence to the Instruction Note. POLASA is therefore making steady progress in contributing to the stated DTI PPPFA (Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act) objectives of job creation, to ensure that products are available or can be manufactured locally are not imported. A clear understanding exists that this does not protect the industry from being uncompetitive and efforts must continue to improve productivity as measured by our ability to export successfully. Steel Construction Vol. 40 No. 3 2016 27