# Interest group forums > Electrical Contracting Industry Forum >  wiremen license where how?

## kyle.deon

hi guys great forum you have here! kyles the name im from jhb 

im so clueless when it comes to the laws in this country of ours lol 

pls help me with the following how to i obtain a wiremen license?

whats the cost? and can i issue coc`s there after?? 

many thanks!

----------


## Mojakoki

You need 5 years uninterrupted experience to qualify to do your trade test.

----------


## BlueArc

I disagree with Mojakoki's response. In order for you to obtain your wiremans license there are various options that one can apply under. Each option has several requirements which you would need to pass. The most common one is: Completed a Trade Test, Complete at least an N3 theory, Pass the Installations Rules exam, Pass the Unit Standards course. All in all this could take you up to 5 years if you're starting from scratch. In my case I have completed everything but am still waiting from ESETA to issue me with the Unit Standards letter which has taken 6 months now. The cost of everything from start to finish is probably in the region R50k. I know its a joke!!

----------

Power Electrical Services (02-Jul-12)

----------


## Jacechop

Hi guys,

according to the Occupational Health and Safety act of 1993 (as amended) Registration as a Registered Person. 

Note: Not wiremans, not accredited, but a registered person. Although Wiremens License is still widely accepted.

There are three options/routes to obtain accreditation. 
Trade Test in following disciplines only - 
--Electrician
--Electrician Engineering
--Electrician Construction
--Electrician Electro Mechanical
--Lift Mechanic

Presuming no one wants to become a single phase tester i'll skip right to to Installation Electrician.

 2.	INSTALLATION ELECTRICIAN 

OPTION 1

2.1	A candidate must:

2.1.1	Minimum Integrated Practical and Theoretical Qualification

(a)	Achieved a National Certificate in Electrical Engineering: NQF level 4 issued by the ESETA.

(b)	Submit documentary proof of successful completed unit standards on inspection, testing and certification of three phase industrial/commercial installations as prescribed by the ESETA.

2.1.2	Knowledge of Statutory Requirements

Submit proof of knowledge on the legislation and relevant health and safety standards applicable to electrical installations by having passed the subject Installation Rules as administered by the Department of Education.

OPTION 2

2.2	A candidate must:

2.2.1	Practical Qualification

(a)	Submit proof of having passed the prescribed trade test in terms of the Manpower Training Act of 1981 in one of the following trade disciplines:

	Electrician

	Electrician (Engineering)

	Electrician (Construction)

	Millwright (Electro-mechanical)

	Lift Mechanic

(b)	Submit documentary proof of successful completed unit standards on inspection, testing and certification of three phase industrial/commercial installations as prescribed by the ESETA.

2.2.2	Minimum Theoretical Qualification

(a)	National N3 Certificate with the following compulsory subjects:

	Mathematics 
	Engineering Science
	Electrical Trade Theory or Electro-technology

Or

(b)	Grade 12 (Standard 10) Certificate

	Mathematics
	Science
	Technica - electrical or an equivalent subject that may include a N3 subject)

Note 1: The candidate must pass each subject with a minimum of 40%.

Note 2: These minimum theoretical subjects could be a combination of Grade 12 and N3 subjects.

2.2.3	Knowledge of Statutory Requirements

Submit proof of knowledge on the legislation and relevant health and safety standards applicable to electrical installations by having passed the subject Installation Rules as administered by the Department of Education.

OPTION 3


2.3	A candidate must:

2.3.1	Theoretical Qualification

(a)	Submit a Diploma or Degree in Electrical Engineering:

	T3 Diploma (Heavy Current) 

	S4 Diploma (Power Engineering) 

	B-Tech Degree 

	BSc or B Degree 

	Government Certificate of Competency (Factories or Mines) 

(b)	Submit documentary proof of successful completed unit standards on inspection, testing and certification of three phase industrial/commercial installations as prescribed by the ESETA.

2.3.2	Knowledge of Statutory Requirements

Submit proof of knowledge on the legislation and relevant health and safety standards applicable to electrical installations by having passed the subject Installation Rules as administered by the Department of Education.


Source : OHS 3/1/5/7/9

I reckon it could cost well in excess of R50k if one would try gun it alone. Best route i would suggest would be to find an apprenticeship, and not a promise as they are always empty!! and you could be a year or two into your trade and still not be registered and your training would count for nothing. 

Best of luck to the well informed. 

God speed

----------


## Jacechop

One amendment to follow soon will be the ESETA bit. It is now EWSETA, Energy and water. Could explain why your Portfolio hasn't been examined yet BlueArc. I submitted my Portfolio to my local ECA where i did my Unit Standards and they sent it on to EWSETA and i had my certificate in my hands two weeks later. There is no reason things should take so long if you follow the right channels i believe.

----------


## deejaypsy

BlueArc, i agree. It is a very expensive and poorly managed system in place at the moment! I am writing my Regs end of the month, and then will need to do my 3ph inspect and test course. All i can find on the net is a company in Germiston offering the course for R7000 odd! I think i might be able to go to Cape Town to do this course as well, i need to do a bit more research. You are correct in saying there are different ways to obtain your wiremans licence. I tried to post a comment last nite to the link, but i am guessing you cannot post links in here, as my reply wasnt posted at all.
So, if you are still struggling to figure it out (kyle.dion), pm me and i will send you the pdf file that explains it all.
BlueArc, why are you still waiting after 6 months?!
I thought that you go to an ESETA accredited college and do your assessment and then they give you your results and you can straight away send those off to the dept of Labour for evaluation (with the other fist full of docs needed), and then you just need to register with ECBSA??
As for things taking forever in this wonderful country of ours....unfortunately it is a sign of the times!
Good luck!

----------


## deejaypsy

Jacechop, u beat me to it. Haha! Yes, i have the same answer in pdf format.
Wouldnt we all like to know what the "right channels" are though?
The internet is not that easy to navigate when it comes to the electrical industry in SA.
I spent hours on the phone the other week to try and figure out the correct process to follow to go from qualified sparky (appieship and N-levels passed) to wireman/registered person.
Unfortunately, it was a waste of time phoning the ECBSA as they told me to phone the Dept of Labour, who then told me that i needed to phone the ECBSA!!
After a lot of to-and-fro-ing all over the place, i ended up with 2 direct line numbers to guys at the Dept of Labour in Cape Town, and i tried them both and got disconnected before the phone could even ring on both accounts!
I then ended up phoning a college in PE, and the woman was very helpful, and told me the exact process to follow.
Unfortunately, they only offer the 3ph Inspect & Test assessment 1 day course, and not the training.
Anyone know of anywhere close to the Garden Route, and how much this course would cost?
Obviously this can only follow the passed Regs exams, which are up in a few weeks...fingers crossed...
 :Wink:

----------


## Jacechop

I'm short one last thing which i write on the 20th and 30th of this month then my head ache is over until next year when i do masters. However i think it would be an advantage to contact your local ECA, Durban has such great guys to contact namely Mr B Bilton, Mr I Mee, and others. Some only 'contract to the ECA on occasion but i'm sure If u called your local ones you'd find some skilled chaps to assist you there. THe alternative, not far from our new King Sharka air port is a training institute run by the Sugar mill. Shukela training centre in Mt Edgecombe does Unit Ssandards but does not offer installation rules. There are guys that offer classes via word of mouth only, hence nothing online. Nothing sinister there, they do it that way to keep the numbers down. People come from JHB to attend classes in DBN thats how effective that form of media is.

----------


## deejaypsy

Yeah, the 20th and 31st i think it is.
You also writing your Regs exams? On those dates anyways...
Unfortunately, contacting my local ECA has not been the most rewarding so far!
I will persue things further once i have my regs in the bag.
3ph Inspect & Test.
Baby steps....

----------


## Jacechop

> Yeah, the 20th and 31st i think it is.
> You also writing your Regs exams? On those dates anyways...
> Unfortunately, contacting my local ECA has not been the most rewarding so far!
> I will persue things further once i have my regs in the bag.
> 3ph Inspect & Test.
> Baby steps....


I did my unit standards in 2010 and am only now doing my Regs. Are you writing then to? i'm sure its the 30th, i put my leave in for those days.,.,.ahhahaha.. I guess my exam permit will know for sure when my college hands it over.

CAll the Durbs branch of the ECA and chat to a lady named Rasheka. She'll hook you up!!

----------


## BlueArc

Hi Guys 
I just found out this morning that my unit standards letter was only posted last week!!!! I cannot believe the ECA in Cape Town. EWSETA is a total and utter stuff up with trying to get hold of the people to find out what the actual story is. I am told that ALL "results" are sent to ONE person - Petrenela - and then she sorts out the letters and posts them back to the ECA or other training centres in SA. Guys if you are about to do your Unit Standards course make sure you phone everyday as they are not prepared to do their job. 
DON'T just wait. I also found out that the EWSETA was placed under government administration as there were too many problmes...how's that for this country hahaha

----------


## BlueArc

Deejaypsy the ECA in Cape Town does a week course in 3Ph unit standards. It's quite nice as you get to do lots of practicle and the lecturer is really good. The price is R3500 for the week but you need to bring your own testing meters. After the course you have 3 months to get your practicle portfolio together which consists of a whole lot of COC's, reports, and other docs. Then you go back to the ECA and the lecturer goes through it and that's it. Hopefully after another 3 months you get your letter...It is flipping waste of time waiting for so long for a letter.

----------


## deejaypsy

Hey Jacechop,
20th July - Paper I
31st July - Paper II
Thanx for the heads up on the ECA. Will give them a call in Durbs when the time comes.
Good luck for the Regs exams.
Damned hard. Are you doing the revision course at a college or just studying alone??

----------


## Jacechop

Thanks Deejaypsy

I'm doing it through a guy who gives lectures in Durban. Really good course, but just lots of traveling for me. Best of luck to us all who are walking this road. Its not as easy as it once was. To do it along with your trade test as my father did. Or before the Unit Standards system was introduced. Any rate, we find our selves in this country. We are not allowed open book exams and we must neither complain nor yell for the people who hear us will slow down the process.

----------


## kyle.deon

hi guys sorry for the late reply.... thanks for all the help!! 

i mange to find a place near west gate that seems to know whats cutting.... they inform me that their is 11 requirements for a wiremen`s(installation electrician)

please confirm! below is the requirements as well as prices 

11 REQUIREMENTS FOR WIREMAN'S LICENSE											


SUBJECT		"COURSE
 PRICE"		"BOOK
PRICE"		TOTAL		"FINAL 
TOTAL"		"TICK 
IF DONE"	


N3 MATHS		R2,950		N1 = R200							
				N2 = R200							
				N3 = R200							

N3 SCIENCE		R2,950		N1 = R200							
				N2 = R200							
				N3 = R230							

"N3 TRADE
 THEORY"		R2,950		N1 = R150							
				N2 = R150							
				N3 = R150							

"INSTALLATION
RULES P1"		R3,950		10142-1 = R440							
				10198-1 = R75							
				10198-2 = R150							
				10292:01 = R175							
				OHSACT = R150							

"INSTALLATION
RULES P2"		R3,950		10142-1 = R440							
				1973-2 = R150							

"PRACTICAL 
INSTALLATION MODULES 
SINGLE "		R4,950		10142-1 = R440							




"PRACTICAL 
INSTALLATION MODULES 
 THREE PHASE"		R4,950		10142-1 = R440							




"PRACTICAL 
MOTOR STARTERS AND CONTACTORS"		R4,950		N/A							




"3- PHASE UNIT 
STANDARDS 13683 & 259197"		R6 950		N/A							







"IN SERVICE
TRAINING WORK
EXPERIENCE"		N/A		N/A							



"TRADE TEST 
PREPERATION AND TEST"		N/A		N/A							


						TOTAL

----------


## deejaypsy

I am guessing that the Installation Papers I,II total price includes the course in order to pass them?? The actual exams are only R250 each, and most colleges where you book to write the exams, will give u a student number. If you take this to SABS, they will issue you the books at half price!
As for the Motor Starters and Contactors, i am guessing this is a new addition to the apprenticeship? I have never heard of this one, but i did pass my trade test back in 1999...
What a bl***y expensive process to go thru nowadays!!
This lot is costing you over R40k at the end of the day!!!
Thank God for apprenticeships back in my day. My boss had to pay for everything to get me qualified, and although the process was a lot simpler, it still wasnt cheap. But this is unreal!
And from what i hear it is a lottery finding a company that will take you on for an apprenticeship now, and even if they do, you run the risk of them using you for cheap labour, and backing out before you're done, and then you're practically back to square one!
I reiterate my previous comments...I fear for the industry in this country!
We're gonna be left with no decent, fully qualified, registered electricians in a decade or so's time!!
My advice is to head for the UK if you can. Great money, a MUCH simpler process. Possibility of getting an apprenticeship much better. The entire electrical system is very standardised, and works properly. People on the other end of the phones extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Only thing you're missing is the weather i'm afraid!
I understand why SA makes it harder for Saffa's to go overseas to work. But then why oh why complicate the system to such an extent at home?? And make it practically unaffordable to the average youngster wanting to become a sparks?
Will it get better? I hope so, but cant see that happening any time soon...
8(

----------


## kyle.deon

im lucky i`m almost at the end of my 5 year internship so the company i work for will be paying  :Smile:  

but yes its very sad that we wont have any of those old school dudes that knows everything left!! i see people leave here with degrees and know very little on the practical side of things! 

 as for our country eish lets not go there the people in most of the collages know nothing!

----------


## Jacechop

> im lucky i`m almost at the end of my 5 year internship so the company i work for will be paying  
> 
> but yes its very sad that we wont have any of those old school dudes that knows everything left!! i see people leave here with degrees and know very little on the practical side of things! 
> 
>  as for our country eish lets not go there the people in most of the collages know nothing!



Hi there,

Are you aware there are two ways to qualify? Judging by your 'internship' this could count towards section 28 trade test, which is based largely on RPL, Recognition of prior learning. I think they are assuming you would want to do a section 13 trade test which would include the modules and that N2 being the minimum for this. That said it does not suffice the minimum requirements for Registration as a registered person. 

Besta luck

----------


## kyle.deon

thanks a lot i forgot about getting my trade test this way...... one question though is there any difference in getting a section 28 and section 13?

----------


## BlueArc

There is really any difference in the end which "section" you fall under. As decribed in earlier posts Section 28 is for folks that have been working in the trade for more than 5 years and can demostrate the set of skills to the examiner. The section 13 is for people that have gone through and apprenticeship and done the modules and exams. The result is the same just a different path to get there. 
From what it looks like are you wanting to start from the bottom? If you are best of luck and if you need help along the way this is the best place to find it. It has certainly helped me!

----------


## Jacechop

I have a different opinion but agree largely with BlueArc above!! Some employers appreciate section 28's more than section 13's, simply because they have "years" of experience and mundane tasks are done as though its second nature. However others prefer section 13's because they have done specific modules and the employers have an expectancy that they are getting suitably trained guys. I'm a section 13 and found it hard getting a job because of the strict module based appyship however my friend is a section 28 and found it child's play getting a job due to the vast experience he has in so many facets. Good luck

----------


## kyle.deon

thanks guys! i will keep this thread going with info as i go along!

----------


## BlueArc

Does anyone know how long the DoL takes to process your application for a registered person?
Also how long does the ECB take to process your application for a contractors license?
I like to do these things the legal way but it sure does take a long time!

----------

