Modern Mining

1 / 24

Me
Buyers’ guide | People on the move REGULARS:
T HE SABS’ ‘internal directive’ that effectively halted partial
testing at its test facility in Pretoria has had a fortuitous spin-
off for the owners of a newly-opened testing laboratory in
Wynberg, Sandton.
George Mashinini, managing director at Testing and Conformity Ser-
vices (TACS) Laboratories says that the stance taken by SABS on partial
testing “does not have to be bad news for local manufacturers and im-
porters of electrical products”.
“Some of these tests – those that are within the scope of TACS’ ac-
creditation from SANAS – can be done locally at our laboratories.
He explains that in April last year, Frederick Nkosi and Khakhane Mo-
taung started putting together a state-of-the-art testing laboratory in
Wynberg and that he joined them in July. “In January this year, TACS
Laboratories received its accreditation from SANAS (South African Na-
tional Accreditation System),” says Mashinini, adding that “the accredita-
tion process was extensive but very rewarding”.
Frederick Nkosi, TACS’ technical manager, says the SABS ‘directive’ on
partial testing forced some local manufacturers to take their products
overseas to be tested. “With the exchange rate as it is, testing products
overseas is very costly. Now, some of these tests can be done locally and,
at TACS, we undertake full and partial testing according to clients’ needs.”
“Once TACS was granted SANAS accreditation, we began testing
products such as switches, socket outlets, cord sets, plugs, adaptors, ca-
ble reels, connectors, conductors, ready boards, appliance couplers and
terminal blocks. We also began testing all low voltage cables as well as
undertaking the physical testing of medium voltage cables,” explains
Khakhane Motaung, TACS’ quality manager.
“TACS has equipment to test fire propagation and smoke density for
cable manufacturers, which is an advantage for the mining industry, local
authorities and Eskom,” he adds.
Nkosi says that TACS can test more than one sample at a time on
some of the test equipment. “This shortens the turnaround time for tests
and, when time is an issue, this benefits our clients,” he says. “We don’t
just offer explicit results – when required, we also support our clients by
clarifying some of the complicated technical terminology that pertains
to testing.
“Confidentiality is of paramount importance at TACS Laboratories,
which is why we have stringent security measures and access control.”
Mashinini, Nkosi and Motaung have more than 60 years of labora-
tory testing experience between them. Mashinini was a lab technician in
charge of the laboratory at Aberdare Cables for 14 years and he worked
at the SABS as a test specialist and laboratory manager for 15 years.
Nkosi started as a trainee electrical engineer at ABI and 10 years later,
he joined that SABS where he worked for 14 years as a test special-
ist and laboratory manager. Motaung underwent training at SABS and
worked in the SABS test laboratory as a senior technician for eight years
before he joined Powertech TIS where he was technical manager for five
years. Both Nkosi and Motaung are registered as professional techni-
cians with the Engineering Council of SA (ECSA).
One of TACS’ first clients was the SAFEhouse Association. Pierre No-
thard, chairman, says he has used TACS twice. “They have delivered as
promised and, most satisfyingly, have demonstrated an understanding
of SAFEhouse’s needs and a willing and flexible attitude towards ac-
commodating them. Their business should do very well,” says Nothard.
Mashinini sums up: “We always had this desire to offer an alternative
testing facility that would assist manufacturers and importers. The big-
ger picture is that we want to be a part of the solution to South African’s
unemployment problem.”
NEW TESTING LABORATORY TAKES
ON FULL AND PARTIAL TESTING
Khakhane Motaung (quality manager), George Mashinini (managing director)
and Frederick Nkosi (technical manager) from TACS Laboratories (Testing
and Conformity Services Laboratories) have installed state-of-the-art testing
equipment in their Wynberg laboratories.