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Speaking in Bulawayo recently, ECZ chief executive Engineer Ben Rafemoyo said there were bogus engineers who were sneaking into the country and were working without proper documents.
“We are seeing some foreigners coming in the country as visitors and work on mobile boosters or other works under the three months visitors’ permit,” said Eng Rafemoyo.
He said the foreigners who intend to carry out engineering jobs in the country should come to their offices and apply for a permit.
Eng Rafemoyo called on the relevant stakeholders such as the Department of Immigration to continuously monitor such unscrupulous people.
Meanwhile, Eng Rafemoyo said international companies that are getting tenders to undertake engineering work should abide by the laws of the land by employing qualified engineers.
“We know certain capacities have diminished in the local engineering sector after people left the country during the period that the country was experiencing economic challenges.
“As a country we lost human capital that we require for some other projects. But we are saying where tenders are awarded to international companies, they must comply with the laws of the land and employ qualified people to undertake the engineering work. They must also employ local people because we have engineers who capable to do the work,” said Eng Rafemoyo.
“Where the companies require specialist skills that are not available locally, they can hire a foreigner but that specialist must be given local understudy so that we tap into their skills. By doing so we would have acquired that skill which probably lacked at the initial stages of the project,” he said.
The ECZ and its sister association the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers has intensified efforts to register their members so as to flush out bogus engineers who are getting jobs at the expense of the qualified professionals.
“We want our engineers to be registered so that we minimise the potential loss of jobs and contracts to foreigners and ensure that local individuals and firms also benefit from projects being undertaken in Zimbabwe. The days are numbered for ‘fly-by-night’ engineers being employed ahead of professionals,” he said.
“We have witnessed dozen of fatal accidents. When such accidents happen, the need for a regulatory body becomes evident. The public needs protection and a place to turn to, to seek redress,” he said.
ECZ was established in 2009 to regulate the engineering profession through registration and licensing of all engineers, Engineering technicians and engineering firms that are engaged in engineering work and or practice in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter