Regulator the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) has deregistered 1 983 of its 14 000 members for continuing professional development (CPD) non-compliance.

As of March 31, these 1 983 people will no longer be allowed to legally practice in the built environment sector within any professional designation under the jurisdiction of the SACPCMP.

Despite multiple remedial and exemption programmes that were presented over almost five years, the SACPCMP has now been forced to deregister non-compliant registered persons, it said.

“As a regulatory authority, it is our mandate to ensure that the construction industry is sufficiently supported by professionals who are competent, skilled and experienced and in good standing with the statutory requirements of the law,” said SACPCMP registrar Butcher Matutle.

“Under the Project and Construction Management Professions Act, registered persons are required to maintain their competence annually by undertaking CPD to ensure that our construction industry is managed by professionals who are equipped with relevant and up-to-date knowledge, which is vital to maintain a safe built environment,” he pointed out.

The regulator had been highly reluctant to deregister anybody. Multiple initiatives were implemented by the SACPCMP as far back as 2021 to provide registered persons with a chance to remedy their non-compliance, he added.

Communications were sent to registered persons and those at risk of deregistration were also directly emailed, called or contacted.

“The council has avoided deregistering people for CPD non-compliance over the years owing to its developmental approach, as most of the professions under its jurisdiction have been viewed as new and requiring support to be properly established and professionalised.

“However, the point has been reached where we can no longer implement further extensions or exemptions,” said Matutle.

The SACPCMP also undertook a support campaign in 2024 to help and guide professionals to avoid suspension.

Further, the risks of non-compliance could result in far-reaching consequences for those who have been suspended.

“The purpose of CPD is to ensure that professionals retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively and legally within their scope of practice. Losing their status as a registered person could lead to public loss of confidence in the professionals’ abilities to deliver safe, high-quality projects.

The SACPCMP has developed rules for reregistration to provide for suitable rehabilitation of those who failed to meet the CPD requirements during the up to nine years of CPD interventions.

“This is meant to be less punitive than permanently cancelling the registration of those who have been deregistered for CPD non-compliance,” he said.

“This ensures that individuals who are reregistered through these rules meet at least a minimum requirement towards their CPD under the council’s CPD Policy, and to be on par with the majority of the registered persons who have adhered to the requirements in full.”

This would ensure that those who were CPD non-compliant would not be exempted from CPD requirements altogether owing to the reregistration process, as this may have the undesired and unintended effect of increasing CPD non-compliance, he added.

“These rules of reregistration have been widely communicated, but fewer than 600 people who were deregistered for non-compliance have applied for reregistration, said Matutle.

“It is hoped that in the coming months, more people will take up the mantle of their professional registration again. The safety of our construction industry depends on the competence of the professionals who manage its development.”