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