WHY SHOULD I USE A REGISTERED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR?
We’ve all heard those appalling stories about homeowners who have had shoddy work done by ‘pirate’ electrical contractors – a term for those ‘electricians’ who are not legally registered as electrical contractors. And, we’ve heard homeowners’ tales of woe about the hefty bills they’ve had to pay for poor workmanship. In most cases, it is the consumers who lose.
“Furthermore, insurance companies more often than not will not cover work that was carried out by an unregistered electrical contractor,” says Shantonette Pillay, the regional director of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (SA) in Durban.
“Homeowners need to know that, in terms of the Electrical Installation Regulations, every user or lessor of an electrical installation must be in possession of a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and Test Report, which can only be issued by a registered person who is registered as an electrical contractor with the Department of Labour (DoL).”
She adds that a new Certificate of Compliance must be provided every time a house changes ownership. “A CoC that is completed by anyone other than a registered electrical contractor is illegal,” warns Ms Pillay.
“Homeowners must always ensure that the electrical contractor they intend using is registered with the Department of Labour. Secondly, for peace of mind, it is best to use an electrical contractor who is a member of the ECA(SA) as all our members have to be registered with the DoL.”
Established in 1950, the ECA(SA) has been representing members for almost 70 years and, with offices in the major centres throughout South Africa, the ECA(SA) is well-placed to provide a wide range of essential services designed to assist electrical contractors and the ECA’s Workmanship Guarantee Scheme covers members’ work up to R20 000.
The next time you need a CoC or electrical work done, contact your closest ECA(SA) to find an electrician in your area or to confirm that your electrician is a member of the ECA.
For more information, contact the ECA(SA) on (011) 392 0000 or email info@ecasa.co.za
