Qualifications
1991 – 1994
University of Pretoria, Pretoria
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering)
This 4 year degree was obtained with distinction. Degree conferred in March 1995
1989
University of South Africa (School of Business Leadership), Pretoria
Management Development Programme (MDP)
1976
Witbank Technical College, Witbank
National Technical Certificate Part III
1978 – 1980
Vaal Triangle Technikon, Vanderbijlpark
National Higher Certificate for Technicians (Control and Instrumentation)
1980
Department of Labour, Pretoria
Trade Certificate – Instrument Mechanician (Industrial)
Professional Memberships
The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Languages
Fluent in both English and Afrikaans.
Career Summary
Work Experience with Present Employer
Omnia Group (The Omnia Group consists of three companies, namely Omnia Fertilisers, Omnia Bulk Mining Explosives and Protea Chemicals)
June 1998 – Present
The following positions have been filled during this period:
o Technical Manager – Omnia Group Projects
o E&I Manager – Omnia Fertilisers Sasolburg Factory
o Engineering Manager – Omnia Bulk Mining Explosives
Main duties/responsibilities:
• Management of multi-disciplinary technical personnel (electrical, instrumentation, information technology, operations).
• Chairing of disciplinary hearings.
• Maintenance management, Project management and Process management.
• Budgeting (annual departmental budgets and project budgets), control and management of the budgets.
• Setting up of service level contracts and management of such contracts.
• Negotiations with suppliers and customers – both local and international.
• Technical expertise/inputs w.r.t. Hazards & Operability Studies, setting of standards and specifications, equipment selection and testing, P&ID assessment, design, etc.
• Quality of all electrical and instrumentation installations in plant/areas for which responsible and accountable. Legal compliance and engineering best practices.
• Commissioning of plant equipment and systems post installation.
• Design of many systems/equipment such as MCC’s, lighting, network layout, tripping logic, cable routes, cable sizing, civils (in terms of building layouts, trenches, culverts, etc.) and much more.
• Documentation for new plant or additions (COC’s, standards, drawings, manuals, etc.).
• Management of E&I spares holding. Procurement and expediting of equipment deliveries where required.
• Management of technology upgrades and plant improvements. Control of modifications.
• Management and control of risk. Safety management.
• Communication to senior management by means of reports, meetings and presentations.
• Conduct regular technical audits at various plants countrywide with a focus on legal compliance and engineering best practices. Report findings to Senior Management and Executive level.
• Conduct Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT’s) for E&I systems at various supplies both local and international. Conduct Site Acceptance Tests (SAT’s) for E&I systems.
Achievements:
• Successful installation of Electrical and Instrumentation on Omnia Fertiliser’s single largest expansion ever undertaken to date – New Nitric Acid and Ammonium Nitrate Plant. This project cost exceeded R1.4 billion (E&I budget just exceeded R100 million). This technically complex project successfully commissioned within time and budgetary constraints.
• Chlorine Cylinder Filling Plant. Successful completion of this R100 million plant for Protea Chemicals.
• Installed and commissioned new fully automated bagging plant, complete with palletizing system and palletized product wrapping section.
• Successfully retrofitted four plants with new distributed control systems – from old Rosemount RS3 DCS to Emerson Delta V.
• Upgrades on the factory-wide Ethernet system to improve both reliability and bandwidth.
Work Experience with Previous Employer:
Work Experience with ESKOM (Eskom is the largest Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution utility in South Africa having a capacity in excess of 36 000 MVA at the time of my employment)
May 1985 – May 1998
The following positions have been filled during this period:
o Engineering Manager – Simunye Power Stations – Komati Site
o Contracts Manager – Arnot Power Station
o Senior Engineering Officer (Projects) – Camden Power Station
o Senior Engineering Officer (Light Maintenance) – Camden Power Station
o Assistant Superintendent (Control & Instrumentation) – Camden Power Station
o Student (University of Pretoria) – 4 year degree completed during this period
Main duties/responsibilities:
• Management of multi-disciplinary technical personnel (electrical, instrumentation, engineers, subject matter experts).
• Application of the Eskom Disciplinary Code in a fair and equitable manner.
• Maintenance management, Project management and Engineering management.
• Development of a complete return-to-service plan for Komati Power Station.
• Consulted to Hendrina Power Station with regards the upgrading of their Control, Instrumentation and Information systems on units 1-5.
• Budgeting (annual departmental budgets and project budgets), control and management of the budgets.
• Setting up of contracts/agreements and management/administration of such contracts/agreements. The New Engineering Contract (NEC) was used for Arnot.
• Negotiations with suppliers and customers.
• Conduct clarification meetings with customers and suppliers.
• Technical expertise/inputs w.r.t. setting of standards and specifications, equipment selection and testing, feasibility studies, etc.
• Quality and legal compliance of all electrical and instrumentation installations in plant/areas for which responsible and accountable.
• Management of E&I spares holding. Procurement and expediting of equipment deliveries where required.
• Management of technology upgrades and plant improvements. Control of modifications.
• Management and control of risk.
• Safety management.
• Communication to senior management by means of reports, meetings and presentations.
• Evaluation of tenders and appointment of successful tenderer.
• Manage large plant outages for complete overhauls of all E&I equipment (Turbines, Boilers, Milling Plant and Auxiliary Plant).
• Lead and conduct technical investigations when needed and assist technical specialists as required. Advise personnel and assist them on technical matters.
• Support of Quality Circles (productivity drive).
Achievements:
• Developed an economic evaluation model (using Microsoft Excel) which allows the economic assessment of returning the mothballed power station for two different possible modes of plant operation. The model allowed for a variety of different variables to be entered and calculated the effects on the product bottom line (R/MWh). This model was utilized at all the sites within Simunye Power Stations as an economic decision making tool.
• Received the Eskom Manager’s Award (the top award in Eskom) in April 1997 for the value given to the company from a risk analysis system which I developed. I also received an Achievement Award at the same time for the work done in the Engineering Department at Simunye Power Stations.
• Received an Excellence Award in June 1990 for successfully completing the Management Development Program of UNISA.
• Received an Excellence Award in April 1987 for my contribution to improving Eskom’s image in the local community.
• Developed and implemented a productivity improvement measurement system which I presented to various Eskom top managers and which was later adopted by many other departments.
Work Experience with Other Employers:
Oct 1983 – May 1985
Loraine Gold Mine
Instrument Technician
Maintenance of all electronic instrumentation on underground refrigeration plants. Worked on Modicon 584 programmable logic controllers and Conlog telemetry systems (multiplexing and demultiplexing). Responsible for planning, design, implementation and control of small plant enhancement projects.
April 1982 – Sept 1983
FOSKOR
Instrument Technician
Maintenance of various electronic instrumentation. Mainly responsible for Texas Instruments nuclear equipment (nuclear density measurement, belt weighmeters) as well as ultrasonic level measurement, conveyor metal detectors and DC drive controllers. Presentation of the Heathkit Electronic course to employees and conducted follow-up training with company apprentices. Maintenance of general instrumentation and control systems.
Jan 1982 – March 1982
Phalaborwa Technical College
Teacher
Lecturing and examination of students (mostly apprentices) on NTC (National Technical Certificate) I to NTC IV engineering subjects.
June 1981 – Dec 1981 & Jan 1976 – Jan 1981
Palabora Mining Company
Instrument Technician
Maintenance of many various types of pneumatic instrumentation. I completed my apprenticeship in November 1980.
Feb 1981 – May 1981
Supersonic
Assistant Production Engineer
Setting up and coordination of radio production lines. Implementation of modifications on production runs.
In-Service Education
Training Courses
Courses Completed During Employment with ESKOM:
System Maintenance Project Management
Industrial Relations Sensitizing Programme for Managers
NOSA MBO Safety System Auditing
Optical Fiber Technology
ABB Procontrol P14
ABB Engineering and Documentation System (EDS 20)
Courses Completed During Employment with OMNIA:
Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Practical TCP/IP Networking for Industry
Practical Fieldbus & Device Networks
Hazard Study Course (including HAZOP)
Outsourcing & Service Level Agreements
Practical Industrial Process Measurement
Practical Power System Protection for the Electrical Industry
Schenk Microprocessor-Controlled Multicont System for Continuous Feeders
Practical Motion Control
Practical Tuning of Industrial Control Loops
Centrifugal Compressor Training Program (Thomassen Compression Systems)
Marketing in Production
Maintenance Management Strategy
Dynamics of Customer Relationships
Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations
S.T.E.P. – Occupational Health and Safety Act
Intergraph INtools (User and Administrator Courses)
Control Valve Sizing & Selection
Basic Programmable Logic Controllers
Siemens Step 7 Programming Language
Managing Discipline and Dismissal
Lightning Protection, Earthing and EMC
Total Productive Maintenance Facilitator Course
11 P’s of Marketing
Dynamics of Management
The OHS Act 1993 and Electrical Safety Regulations and Standards
Internal Auditor Course Based on ISO 19011: 2002 (including practical module)
Advanced PM Implementation Course
NGA – MLT, NGA – CLD, SHS Service Training (completed in Germany with Emerson)
