# Interest group forums > Pest Control Industry Forum >  Inspector controls.

## entoserv

When are we going to do something about the woodborer inspection industry?

I've got some idiot knocking on etate agents doors and he's got absolutely nothing. Seems like he installs security gates or something and is doing inspections as a sideline.

I grilled him about it - his depth of experience is that he had his house fumigated six months ago and thought this is a great business. And let's face it, what's going to stop him right now?

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## Candy Bouwer

He's operating in the Durban area right? I am sure I have come across him myself. I think he is also claiming to be an Electrician. Apparently( if it's the same guy), he is not very popular as he is calling clients after hours ...and i mean late, 11 to l pm. I can't see him lasting to long with this approach. The Estate agents might be taken in at first with prices but bad service levels or "attitudes" of service providers that are not client friendly is soon noted and warnings are passed around like wild fire.  However you are right. How do we put a stop to impostors encroaching on territory that some of us have spent years training and qualifiying for.? 
Is there no way that the various Industries can post an awareness campaign to the property proffesionals ? This needs to blanket the entire network of Estate Agents, Convancing attorneys and and also available to the man in the street. Maybe a page on a webb site could be offered to assist in cross referencing a Service Providers credentials.  
There are so many wolves in sheeps clothing out there!!!

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## entoserv

I don't know if we are talking about the same person, but we should not be relying on unqualified people tripping over their own feet. The PE market was lost entirely due to a lack of control.

At the end of the day, unqualified folk having the ability to trade unhindered devalues the entire industry and the credibility of qualified inspectors along with it.

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## Dave A

> When are *we* going to do something about the wood borer inspection industry?


Well I'm glad you said "we". Normally it's "you" as in "*I'm* complaining and *I* expect *you* to do something about it." It's certainly going to take a team effort to get this industry back to order. 

Probably the thing that undermined the industry most was when The Registrar Act 36 of 1947 started claiming that people could carry out the inspections by virtue of their registration with him. Effectively this move established The Registrar as the regulatory authority above all others. But of course he had no legislation in place to regulate the activity as no pesticide application was involved in the activity, let alone the staff and technical understanding of the real issues.

Up to now this has prevented anyone pursuing the establishment of a professional body that could set up a reasonable regulatory environment for the industry.

However, in a meeting with representatives from The Registrar earlier this year, SAPCA *did* manage to secure an understanding that activities that could not be regulated in terms of Act 36 of 1947 should not be "administered" by The Registrar. Effectively, this means that any reference to Inspections for Wood Destroying Organisms should not be mentioned in this year's round of registration renewals. This specific point was raised and accepted. However, at the risk of being considered skeptical, it would not be the first time we have secured an agreement with the department and then found that the agreement has not been implemented - so right now I suggest we wait a couple of months to ensure this comes to pass.

From there, we need to form a professional body of as many of the qualified folk we can muster to start pursuing protection and implementation of standards. There are regulatory options available, but it's going to take a fair amount of unity to get the job done.

Perhaps a question we should discuss at this point is whether we should be looking to establish a stand-alone body, whether it should be a chapter of SAPCA, or perhaps we can become a part of one of the consultant type professional bodies who already have this type of professional regulation in place.

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## Candy Bouwer

QUOTE]Perhaps a question we should discuss at this point is whether we should be looking to establish a stand-alone body, whether it should be a chapter of SAPCA, or perhaps we can become a part of one of the consultant type professional bodies who already have this type of professional regulation in place.[/QUOTE] You really seem to have a handle on this thread Dave...expand on these points please. I'm sure i speak for a number of us out here who would like to see some action and are willing to be involved!

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## Dave A

The solution has been known for a long time. Removing the interference of The Registrar has proved troublesome.

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## Alan

> I think he is also claiming to be an Electrician.


 Please explain here Candy is he not a qualified electrician? If not, he cannot be signing instalations off as he wont be registered with the ECB and if some one else is signing on his behalf, its only a matter of time.

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## Candy Bouwer

I believe he is not....this comes from a very reliable opposition source, although I personally have not been able to look into his credibility myself Al. Sounds like the ECB have been alerted already.

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## Dave A

I have just received a facsimile of a letter to the Pest Control Service Industries Board, the relevant contents of which are:



> 5 June 2007
> 
> Dear Sir
> 
> *INSPECTION OF WOOD DESTROYING ORGANISMS*
> 
> Please be informed that inspection of wood destroying organisms falls outside the scope of Act No. 36 of 1947 and its regulations.
> 
> Kind regards
> ...

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## entoserv

As short as that letter is, its progress.

But if the registrar is no longer involved, how does this help? Who is regulating the industry?

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## Dave A

Basically it means that no-one is regulating the industry from a statutory point of view, which in truth was the real position since 1978 anyway.

It does, however, remove the interference of the department in claims as to who might be deemed competent to do the work. This was a major obstacle in the past, as the department had no regulatory framework to ensure standards or accountability, and their position was essentially blocking any attempt by the industry towards self regulation. 

I expect to have some options to present at the upcoming PestBiz convention.

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