Civil Engineering December 2022 | Vol 30 No 11

Civil Engineering December 2022 33 2 – The world according to SAI CE Statutory bodies and associated structures T he engineering profession ap- proached government in the 1960s to request legislation to regulate the profession. The result was that the South African Council for Professional Engineers (SACPE) was established in 1969. Although this structure served the profession very well, it became clear that the changing world and the changing po- litical dispensation in South Africa would necessitate substantial modifications. In 1992 SAICE approached SACPE to sug- gest a way forward in the new democratic dispensation that would be coming about in 1994. The main thrust was to ensure that South African engineering education and professional status would be recog- nised in subsequent years. The Institution of Civil Engineers UK (ICE) was extremely helpful, and a delegation visited South Africa to facili- tate understanding of the international professional engineering world of that time. ICE indicated that they would be willing to sign reciprocity agreements with SACPE if South Africa would accept the standards and models that they were using in the UK. SAICE took the lead in providing input, and by the year 2000 a brand new, modern set of Acts was promulgated, which enabled South African built envi- ronment professionals to be compared to and compete with the best in the world. In the process two new additions also came about – an overarching Council for the Built Environment was established, and a new profession saw the light, namely that of Project Managers and Construction Project Managers. CBE – THE OVERARCHING STATUTORY COUNCIL The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) is the umbrella body for the six statutory councils for professionals dis- cussed below. The Act according to which the CBE came into being (Act No. 43 of 2000) mandates the Council to, among other tasks: Q Q Ensure uniform implementation of mandated policy among the six councils that regulate the various built environment professions. Q Q Advise government on issues relating to the built environment based on relevant research, knowledge and information. Q Q Support government’s National Development Plan, specifically in the infrastructure delivery programme. Q Q Drive transformation by priori­ tising skills development and equity implementation in the built environment. Q Q Act as an appeal body on matters of law regulating the built environment professions. Q Q Promote and protect the interests of the public by supporting work performed by appropriately registered persons. CBE PO Box 915, Groenkloof, 0027 T: +27 12 346 3985 E: info@cbe.org.za , W: www.cbe.org.za 169 Corobay Avenue, Menlyn, Pretoria THE SIX STATUTORY COUNCILS FOR PROFESSIONALS The six statutory councils listed below were established through Acts of Parliament to regulate the various built environment professions. Generally speaking, the main statutory function of each of these Councils is to protect the public by effectively controlling the education and practising standards of the particular profession that it represents. Hence these Councils all have Codes of Conduct that registered persons have to abide by. In this article all six statutory councils are discussed, with emphasis on those that have particular significance to the civil engineering profession. ECSA (Engineering Council of South Africa) ECSA regulates the entire engineering profession, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engi- neering, industrial engineering, chemical engineering and related engineering disci- plines. ECSA’s aim is to ensure that South Africa enjoys all the benefits of a strong, competent, growing, sustainable and representative engineering profession able to provide all the expertise necessary for the socio-economic needs of the country, and to exert a positive influence in South Africa. Consequently, ECSA is the only body in South Africa that is authorised to register engineering professionals and bestow the use of engineering titles on persons who have met the requisite professional registration criteria. ECSA Private Bag X691, Bruma, 2026 T: +27 861 225 555, F: +27 11 622 9295 E: engineer@ecsa.co.za, W: www.ecsa.co.za 1st Floor Waterview Corner, Bruma Lake Office Park, 2 Ernest Oppenheimer Ave, Bruma, Johannesburg SACPCMP (South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions) The SACPCMP was established to regulate and promote specific built environment management professions and is a juristic person established by the Project and Construction Management