The Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) sent out a note to its members telling them that the DTI is hosting a workshop on the 5th of November (2013). This is what it had to say
- All Sector codes, including the construction sector code, are then expected to align with these revised codes within 12 months from the gazette date.
- The dti will be hosting all sector charter councils in an alignment workshop on 5 November 2013 when the process, expectations and time-lines will be determined.
We know that the DTI is dead keen to have their new codes foisted on all and sundry. That their latest gazetted codes are complete rubbish is of little concern to them (has it ever been?). This reminds me of a conversation I had with Patsy Downs (FirstRand's BEE lady) a year ago when the draft codes came out. I said to her that we had to block these codes because they are no good – she wasn't concerned because the FSC had just been gazetted. The time has come for her to be concerned – the FSC WILL be amended to reflect the new codes' misguided ideology. As to how they are going to do this under the FSC remains to be seen – but every other code must either be repealed or aligned. It'll probably be easier to repeal than to align, all companies would then fall under Rob's tombola. This in itself brings up a new set of challenges. I don't think that the FSC will be repealed, it's too formal and too well negotiated.
If there are any amendments to the sectoral codes then they have to follow the normal process. And if this requires a 60 day comment process then I will advocate that we get everyone together and submit comments that the DTI cannot ignore. We can't have a body making arbitrary rules for an economy that that economy has not accepted. Wasn't legislation under Apartheid like this?
At least we are now all in it together.