OBJECTIVES OF THE SAACPP
The SAACPP was founded in 1986 in the then Transvaal Province and was known as the Association of Consulting Town and Regional Planners (ACTRP). Since its inception, the Association has been providing educational programmes, seminars, newsletters and circulars to its members, whilst providing a professional information service to the public. The North Region of the South African Association of Consulting Professional Planners, covers the provinces of:
- Gauteng;
- North West;
- Limpopo;
- Mpumalanga;
- Free State; and
- KwaZulu Natal
The SAACPP was established to address the unique requirements and needs of consulting Professional Planners and to deal with their specific problems and common issues to the benefit of practitioners and the public making use of their services.
MISSION OF THE SAACPP
To create a better quality of life for South Africans, the SAACPP has as its mission, to enhance the profession of consulting professional planning through:
- continued maintenance and promotion of professional, moral and ethical standards amongst members;
- the promotion of competent and efficient professional practise amongst members;
- the rendering of an effective professional planning service to the community; and
- the promotion of the professional interests, rights and responsibilities of consulting professional planners.
The SAACPP serves and markets the profession and its high standard of work aggressively and freely. Members have access to the SAACPP via a secretariat that collates and disseminates information. This service ensures that members are always up to date with the latest planning standards, legislation, techniques and technology, as well as any other matters that may influence the consulting planning profession.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
The advantages of achieving the goals and aims of the SAACPP will make it worthwhile for any consulting firm of professional planners to become a member. Care is taken to ensure that members enjoy benefits other than those offered by other professional institutions and include :
- the creation of a responsible professional body (the Association) to act on behalf of consulting firms with a degree of authority that the individual consulting firm could not achieve;
- the creation of a forum for consulting planning firms where common problems can be discussed and where solutions can be sought on a joint basis;
- the creation of a secretariat to gather information from members and other organisations for processing and making available to all members. This ensures that members are kept up to date with matters which affect the consulting planning firms in their daily tasks;
- continuous training offered by means of seminars, conferences and lectures, to maintain a high standard of professional conduct amongst members;
- the introduction of consulting professional planners to government and other organisations and to regularly provide a directory of consulting firms to such organisations for convenient reference for possible appointments;
- the formulation of guidelines concerning matters that affect consulting professional planners only (for example professional fees and conduct in respect of marketing); and
- negotiations and collective bargaining in respect of group pension schemes, professional indemnity insurance and professional provident funds on behalf of the larger consulting profession.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
The SAACPP is currently organised in two major regions namely:
- North Region
Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga,
North West and Northern Province
- South Region
Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape.
A subcommittee of the North Region has also been established to attend to the specific needs and requirements of those member firms located in Limpopo Province and more particularly in the area of Polokwane and immediate environs.
The main regions have both appointed executive committees to attend to the day to day functioning of the SAACPP. These executive committees, typically comprise:
- A Chairperson;
- A Vice-Chairperson;
- A Secretary; and
- At least four or more committee members.
Committee members serve a minimum one year term in office although, in practise, most committee members stay on for at least two or more years to ensure continuity. Executive Committees meet regularly to discuss matters which require attention. New executive committee members are usually elected prior to or during an annual general meeting. Written nominations for the election of new members are requested prior to the annual general meeting.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Although the original constitution was designed to permit both the individual consultant and the planning firm as members of the Association, it was later resolved to amend the constitution in such a way that only a company or firm or partnership may become a member of the SAACPP.
For an individual firm or company to become a member, at least one principal, active within such firm or company must be registered as a Professional Planner in terms of the Planning Professions Act, 2002 (Act 36 of 2002). Furthermore, such a principal must have at least 5 years’ post-graduate experience in order to qualify his/her firm or company for membership. Two years’ experience in private practice is a further requirement.
The membership list forming part of this website provides the latest contact details of registered firms/companies forming part of the SAACPP
SAACPP ACTIVITIES
The following portfolios are currently attended to by elected subcommittees of the SAACPP North Region:
- Secretariat
- Constitution
- Newsletter
- Promotion/Marketing
- Seminars and conferences
- Finances
- Professional fees
- General Liaison
Liaison Structures
The SAACPP is a recognized participant in a number of Liaison Structures where planning and development matters are addressed at provincial or municipal level. These structures serve as important platforms from which the SAACPP may effectively communicate with authorities and other affected parties involved in planning or development matters.
Examples include the following:
- National Building Regulations Council
- Tshwane PDF Committee
- City of Johannesburg: Planning Liaison Structure
- Co-operation with SAPOA (ad hoc)
- Rapid Response Task Team
- Construction Alliance South Africa
SAPI
The SAACPP co-operates with SAPI on matters which affect the wider profession. This includes co-operation in bi-annual Plan Africa Conferences and electronic magazines.
Redbook Steering Committee
The SAACPP has been represented on the Steering Committee for Planning Matters with regard to the revision of the Redbook (Engineering services for township development), under the auspices of the Building Technology Department of the CSIR acting on behalf of the Department of Housing.
SACPLAN
The SAACPP is a registered Voluntary Association of SACPLAN, as contemplated in the Planning Professions Act, 2002 (Act 36 of 2002). SACPLAN relies on the SAACPP to make recommendations with regard to Guideline Professional Fees and related matters.
Newsletter
The SAACPP regularly issues newsletters and circulars containing important information on new or revised planning policies, professional fees, important court judgements, new legislation and other information relevant to the day to day functioning of a consulting planning practice. The newsletters/circulars also contain less formal information and "gossip" regarding movements within the profession, the establishment of new firms and such like. Advertisement space is sold in the SAACPP newsletter to offset the publishing cost so as not to unnecessarily burden the Association's budget.