Steel Construction Vol 40 no 6 - International Steel Structures | Page 37

SAISC SUBSIDIARIES: SAMCRA

SAMCRA 2016
A positive year
By Dennis White, Director SAMCRA

e
t
i
p
s
the gloom
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Even though the past year has proved to be
more challenging than the previous one for
our members and the construction industry
as a whole, it has been a successful one for
SAMCRA with increased membership and a
number of goals achieved.

SAMCRA participated in the dti industry
workgroup for the amendments to
the National Building Regulations and
Building Standards Act. Whilst the draft
for the amendments to the Act has been
completed, work has yet to begin on the
amendments to the National Building

We have had
encouraging
discussions with
members of the
academic staff
at North-West
University regarding
the establishment
of a testing facility
for metal cladding
on the campus

In September 2015 we presented a
workshop to the final year architectural
students at Tshwane University. The
workshops presented in Kenya during
April 2016 were successful and we have
been invited to present similar workshops
in Tanzania and Uganda. In July we
participated in a presentation on the
installation of PV cells on metal roofs to
the engineer responsible for sustainability
and utilities at Growthpoint Properties and
have subsequently been invited to present
a workshop on metal cladding to their
projects department. Our proposals to the
Department of Public Works for a series
of workshops for their architects, quantity
surveyors and engineers, as well as building
inspectors have been accepted. We plan to
present our first workshop for architects
in January/February and are currently
preparing a workshop for design engineers
and will participate in the SAISC workshop
for quantity surveyors.
Whilst we have not been able to persuade
insurance underwriters and developers to
become members of SAMCRA we continue
to act as paid technical consultants to
various parties.
During the year we published a number of
articles on a variety of subjects pertaining
to metal cladding which have been well
received. Our website is proving popular
(average 139 hits/mth in 1st half of the
financial year and 377/mth in 2nd half)
and has resulted in numerous requests for
assistance, information and enquiries about
workshops.

Regulations.
SAMCRA has continued to participate on
a number of SABS Technical Committees
which are relevant to the cladding industry,
including TC-60 which is responsible for
the SANS 10400 series. Although the final
draft for the revisions to SANS 10400
Part-L ‘Roofs’ was issued to the members
of TC-60 for acceptance in August, it failed
to receive sufficient votes for acceptance
due to the inertia of some members to cast
their ballot. An extension to the end of
September suffered a similar fate. The SABS
secretariat has been instructed to issue
a notice of cancellation of membership
to the recalcitrant members, should they
not have voted by October 31. The subcommittee responsible for the revision
to SANS 10400 Part-XA has failed to
complete its work and has been given a
deadline of 30 November to comply. The
final draft of SANS 10237 ‘The design,
testing and installation of self-supporting
metal cladding’ has also stalled. Following
meetings with the National Regulator for
Compulsory Specifications we are being
encouraged to apply to have SANS 10237
made a compulsory specification, however,
this will be a lengthy process.
We have had encouraging discussions with
members of the academic staff at NorthWest University regarding the establishment
of a testing facility for metal cladding on
the campus and await their formal written
proposal.
New work items are the establishment

www.samcra.co.za

In the last year, we gained three new
members, but regrettably lost one. There
are five applications pending.

of a training programme for installers of
cladding and the drafting of a cladding
handbook/s.
Steel Construction Vol. 40 No. 6 2016 35