The Department of Employment and Labour has issued communication confirming that registration cards for registered electrical persons will be changing […]
Consumers are often told to compare prices before appointing an electrician or electrical supplier. That is good advice, but it
Link: https://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZAECMHC/2025/70.html When an electrical dispute ends up before a court, opinions are not enough. What matters is credible, objective
Case name: Kruger v Sibanyoni and Others (1191/2023) [2025] ZASCA 127 (9 September 2025) Link: https://lawlibrary.org.za/akn/za/judgment/zasca/2025/127/eng@2025-09-09 A recent Supreme Court
In a move highlighting the growing global demand for skilled trades, Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has
The electrical industry has received encouraging news as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure announced a significant shift
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has released a draft standard for public comment that may have significant implications
The newly adopted standards are:
SANS 60364-5-56: Selection and erection of electrical equipment – Safety services
SANS 60364-7-701: Locations containing a bath or shower
SANS 60364-7-702: Swimming pools and fountains
SANS 60364-7-703: Rooms and cabins containing sauna heaters
SANS 60364-7-704: Construction and demolition site installations
SANS 60364-7-705: Agricultural and horticultural premises
SANS 60364-7-713: Furniture
SANS 60364-8-82: Prosumer’s low-voltage electrical installations
Electricity Extortion Watch: Daily Maverick Launches Public Reporting Initiative Daily Maverick has launched Electricity Extortion Watch, a public-interest initiative aimed
When Compliance Isn’t Enough
South Africa’s electrical compliance landscape is changing. As IEC requirements are increasingly adopted through SANS standards, contractors face a growing challenge: the difference between legal compliance and customer expectations.
An installation may be safe, legally compliant, and present no immediate danger, yet still be challenged by clients, insurers, or legal representatives because it does not meet the latest technical standard.
The hidden risk lies in Section 55 of the Consumer Protection Act, which allows consumers to expect goods and services that comply with applicable standards. This means that technical standards are increasingly influencing perceptions of quality, workmanship, and liability, even where regulators may not regard a particular issue as a safety concern.
For contractors, the question is no longer simply, “Is the installation safe?” Increasingly, it is also, “Will others expect compliance with standards that go beyond minimum legal requirements?”
Understanding that distinction may become one of the most important risk management challenges facing the electrical industry in the years ahead.