ABOUT ECA(SA)

The Electrical Contractors’ Association South Africa ECA(SA)

(information obtained from the ECA(SA) website, with Assist247 perspective added)

Benefits of using an ECA(SA) Approved Electrical Contractor

Workmanship Guarantee Scheme funding remedial work for up to R20 000 in instances where the members work has been found to not be in compliance with the installation code.
ECA(SA) Members are committed to providing compliant service and subscribe to good practices.

THE NEW AND IMPROVED WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEE SCHEME

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of South Africa backs the skills and qualifications of its members as well as their capacity to deliver compliant work. To this end, the ECA(SA) has a Workmanship Guarantee Scheme on which clients can rely in the unlikely event that a member delivers work that falls short of the statutory standard. This guarantee funds any remedial work up to R20 000 in instances where an ECA(SA) member’s work has been found to be not in compliance with the installation code. End-users can be assured that ECA(SA) members are committed to providing compliant service and that they subscribe to good practices. In the event that the member’s work is not compliant and the end-user brings this to the attention of the ECA(SA), the Workmanship Guarantee Scheme kicks in to rectify the work.

What is covered?

The ECA(SA)’s Workmanship Guarantee Scheme covers work that does not comply with the Installation Code as well as compliance with the clients’ written specifications to the extent that such specifications are not in conflict with the Code. The Workmanship Guarantee Scheme covers alterations, extensions, repairs, new installations and maintenance to the value of R20 000. The works must have been handed over, the client must have paid the member contractor and the Certificate of Compliance relating to the installation, where applicable, must have been completed and handed over to the client.

With this back-up, there is peace of mind and comfort in employing the services of a qualified, experienced and properly registered member of the ECA(SA) – the home of your trusted electrical contractors.

Further terms and conditions that apply to the Workmanship Guarantee Scheme may be obtained from any of the ECA(SA) regional offices.

More information: All ECA(SA) regional offices

About the ECA(SA)

The ECA(SA) is an employers’ organisation registered in terms of the Labour Relations Act and has represented South African electrical contractors since 1950. The ECA(SA) has a membership network of around 4 000 electrical contractors, which employs more than 75% of the workforce employed within the electrical contracting industry.

Voice of the Industry

The ECA(SA) represents the interests of electrical contractors at many government and industry bodies, providing input from its members and receiving all of the latest developments first-hand.

Education and Training

Through the successful completion of the following courses, employers are empowered to run successful electrical contracting businesses: Business administration, Labour relations and legislation, Estimating and tendering, Contractual matters, SANS 10142-1.

Electrical practitioners are assisted in developing their careers.

Advisory Services

With an immense pool of expertise from which to draw, the ECA is well placed to provide members with excellent and accurate advice on all aspects of running a safe, efficient and profitable contracting business.

Get advice about the following matters:

Technical
Contractual
Legal
Labour Legislation
Safety Compliance
Training

Marketing and Publicity

Pro-active marketing through the Association promotes the use of ECA members to potential clients.

This includes:

Creating public awareness
Improving the image of The Electrical Contractor
Industrial Communication Services
General Publicity and Marketing
IT Technologies such as the website

ECA(SA) Call Centre

Members can call the National Call Center on 087 944 4555 for quick resolution of their queries. Calls will be directed to the correct person or department based on the nature of the enquiry.

LABOUR

The ECA(SA) represents members on the National Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry and the Board of Trustees of the Electrical Industry Pension and Provident Funds. Members receive numerous other labour-related benefits that include:

Access to the ECA(SA)’s labour experts to address immediate labour matters, for example, providing guidance and advice on the electrical industry’s Collective Agreement and related labour legislation.
Handling of disciplinary hearings; assisting with retrenchments; and representing members in conciliation and arbitration disputes at the National Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry and at the CCMA.
Assisting members with rescission applications and, where deemed expedient, review applications at the Labour Court.
Negotiating terms and conditions of employment within the electrical industry.

TRAINING

Providing training is one of the ECA(SA)’s key areas of expertise. The training division provides the following services:

Skills development facilitation and submission of statutory training returns: Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR).
Registration of apprenticeship contracts with the Sector Education Training Authorities.
Free practical apprenticeship under the CETA Training Contract.
Subsidised technical training, seminars and workshops on the Code of Practice for the Wiring of Premises (SANS 10142-1) and the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) issued under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Management training for employers and administrative staff, which includes:
- Tendering and estimating.
- Business administration.
- Contract documentation.
- Labour legislation and Labour relations.
- Code of Practice.
- Occupational Health and Safety and Management of Construction Safety.
The ECA(SA) provides a two-day practical evaluation of candidates to attain artisan status.
Members are assisted with applications to the Department of Labour for qualification as a registered person, such as Single Phase Tester, Installation Electrician and Master Installation Electrician.
Refresher courses to prepare students for final assessment (trade test).
Training on Modules 0 – 6 for Construction Electricians.

CONTRACTUAL

Publication and update of annual compilation of actual labour costs.
Publication and update of annual ECA(SA) Schedule of Hourly Charge Out Rates.
Revision of composition and weightings of Contract Price Adjustment Provisions (CPAP) indices for Work Groups 160 and 162 as published monthly under Statistical Release P0151 by STATS SA.
Representing members at forums where contractual conditions for electrical sub-contractors are negotiated and revised in consultation with other stakeholders in the Industry, such as the Joint Building Contracts Technical Committee; the Joint Practice Committees of Master Builders South Africa; and Contract Price Adjustment Provisions Committee.
Assist members with the interpretation of clauses in contract documents, calculation of escalation claims and settlement of contractual disputes.
Training of members on contractual matters.
Preparation of advisory notes to members.
Circulate tender information and requests for quotations to members as and when received from principal contractors, clients and professional parties.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE

As an employers’ organisation in the electrical construction industry, one of the major services provided by the ECA(SA) is in the technical field of operations. To this end, the ECA(SA) represents the industry on a number of SABS committees, the most significant being the SANS 10142-1 committee that oversees the wiring of electrical installations. The ECA(SA)’s presence on this committee means that members have access to accurate and relevant information. The ECA(SA)’s Technical Support and Advice Helpdesk service provides telephonic advice on matters related to SANS 10142-1 as well as assistance to ECA(SA) members on site. Additionally, the ECA(SA) assists members with support and advice on the Electrical Installation Regulations and related parts of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Assist247 Perspective

During the 25 years that the Assist247 group has been active in the Motor and Home Assistance Industry, we have always supported the use of Association members by consumers and our website users, as we believe this at least gives the consumer some form of recourse should a member’s services be found to be less than satisfactory.

Even though we have since added our own accreditation process (ACE Ratings) and Service & Workmanship Guarantee, which we believe to be the most stringent test of competency and the least prohibitive guarantee available in the marketplace today, we still feel that dealing with association members provides a measure of security to consumers, over and above those provided by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act.