Established as a Non -Profit Organisation, headed up by a 10 Independent member industry representative board, the PCIPC purpose is to proactively work and promote pest control practices in an open forum free of any political or commercial agenda, so as to protect the health and safety and well-being of the South African public, and to protect the integrity of the South African Pest Control Environment and Practices.The PCIPC is in the process of being recognised as the formally recognised Professional Body for the Pest Control Sector.
A professional body is an approved organisation that maintains an oversight of the skills, conduct, and practice of a specific profession or occupation.
The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act requires the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to recognise professional bodies and register their professional designations on the NQF. This only happens if the professional body meets the SAQA Policy and Criteria for recognising professional bodies and registering professional designations.A SAQA professional body is a body constituted to represent and/or regulate a recognised community of expert practitioners.
The PCIPC is not a Private Company and thus does not have any shareholders. PCIPC is formally registered as a Non-Profit Organisation with PCIPC.
The PCIPC is the Professional Body for the Pest Control Sector and is a registrar of individuals that have to meet the stated requirements of registration. South Africa Pest Control Association (SAPCA) is a member association that provides an industry forum for pest control companies, suppliers and manufacturing members. Unlike SAPCA, PCIPC is not a member organisation.
The PCIPC is not owned by any individual. It is a Non-Profit Organisation that is governed and guided by a constitution and an elected board of trustees. Further oversight of the PCIPC is done through third party yearly audits and bodies such as The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
The majority of the PCIPC’s income is generated through its yearly registration fee which pays for the administrative and functions of the PCIPC. Further income is (will be) derived through the sale of the certificate of conformance (COC). Income derived from the COC is used solely for the auditing related process and activities to uplift the pest control sector so as to drive accountability and compliance into the sector.
To become a registered pest control operator with the PCIPC, you must meet the stated requirements of PCIPC. This can be found on the application form which you need to complete when registering. The registration form can be found at www.pcipc.org or you can email registration@pcipc.org
The current cost of registration can be found at www.pcipc.org
If your application and paperwork are in order and subject to verification of your certificates it will take on average ten working days to become registered.
A licensed PCO designation refers to a category or designation of registration with which the pest control operator can be registered with the PCIPC. Other designations include learner, Pest Control Operator Assistant, qualified Pest Control Operator, and Master Pest Control Operator. The importance of registering as a licensed PCO allows you to issue the PCIPC certificate of compliance.
While both designations require that a PCO must be qualified, the licensed PCO designation allows the PCO to issue the PCIPC certificate of conformance.
The assessment allows the PCIPC to ascertain your knowledge and understanding of the respective provisions of the act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies. Once you have passed the assessment you will be allowed to issue the PCIPC certificate of conformance. The PCIPC reserves the right to call you up for an assessment at any time if the PCIPC finds that you do not have the necessary knowledge and understanding of the respective provisions of the act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies.
The PCIPC registration cycle refers to the yearly cycle of registration with the PCIPC. The registration cycle for each registered PCO is different as it will start on the month in which you registered with the PCIPC. For example, if you registered in July your PCIPC registration cycle will be from July to June the following year.
Your initial registration date will never change. So even if you renew your registration late your initial registration date will remain the same. As an example, if your registration cycle is July to June and you renew two months late in August, your registration date will remain July to June and will not change to an August to July cycle,
A PCO who does not re-register will become inactive with the PCIPC until they renew their registration. Inactive licensed PCO will not be able to obtain or issues the PCIPC certificates of conformance. Late registration may also result in administration penalty fees being charged.
Late renewals result in additional administrative work and costs. This allows for the PCIPC to recover these costs.
Many PCO do not wish to have the physical registration card but rather just using the electronic card. As result of this PCIPC have made it a choice of the PCO if they would like to have physical registration card and pay the associated cost thereof.
Due to the high number of fraudulent certificates received by the PCIPC, verification of certificates is required. This verification is done by a third party.
Updating registration details is as simple as downloading, completing the updated renewal registration form and sending this to renew@pcipc.org . Alternatively updating of certain registrations details can be done directly on your PCIPC online profile.
Visit the PCIPC’s website to download the renewal form. You can send this to renew@pcipc.org once the form is complete.
Visit the PCIPC’s website www.pcipc.org , click “PCO Login” and enter your username (your email address) and password.
CPD can be defined as the systematic maintenance, improvement, and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout a person’s plumbing career.
As a PCO you will need to obtain and accumulate CPD credits to maintain your registration with the PCO on an annual basis.
By doing various activities that improve and broaden your knowledge and skills and develop personal qualities within the industry.
A Registration cycle is a 12-month period that runs concurrently with your yearly renewal
registration period with the PCIPC. Therefore, if your date of registration with the PCIPC is 1 July,
your CPD registration cycle runs from 1 July to 30 June the following year.
As a registered PCO, you need to keep track of CPD credits and keep all evidence relating to the CPD activities you have undertaken. Evidence must be kept for a minimum of two years and the PCIPC may request proof of this evidence at any point during this period.
Every time that you have obtained any form of credits, you may download, complete, and
return the CPD Activity Registration Form to the PCIPC, or submit it online upon which the PCIPC will record the relevant CPD credits on your registration profile
CPD forms part of the PCIPC’s professional registration. As PCIPC registered, you will be required to keep your CPD credits in line with the required year credit amount to keep your registered status with the PCIPC.
The PCIPC does not engage in delivering any actual CPD, PCIPC merely facilitates the process. Developmental CPD activities are mostly undertaken by third parties such as suppliers, manufacturers, training providers, private individuals, etc. In many cases these activities are free and in other cases, they are not. It is up to each of these 3rd parties to make the decision, to charge for the CPD activity or not. Similarly, it is your choice to attend any of the developmental CPD activities, free or not.
The number of CPD credits required within your registration cycle is subject to your type of PCIPC registration that you have.
In most cases, the time and the content being delivered will be taken into consideration when evaluating the number of credits that should be awarded to an activity.
In the event of a registered professional not complying with the requirements of CPD, the PCIPC may impose any one or more of the following conditions:
A PCIPC CoC is a self-certification and declaration by the PCIPC licensed PCO that the work undertaken by them complies with all respective provisions of the act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies.
Subject to the requirements for issuing a PCIPC CoC, a PCIPC CoC must be issued on all PCO undertaken by a Licenced PCO.
Part of the PCIPC purpose is to monitor compliance of a PCO works/application and reporting. Through the CoC process, 5% of all PCO’s work/application is physically audited and if required the PCO is notified of any non-compliance. This physical audit and the associated administration functions bear a cost that is recovered through the associated cost of the PCIPC CoC.
The cost of the CoC has always been kept as low as possible without jeopardising the mandated functions of the PCIPC and that of being a registered professional body.
Licensed PCO have not only met the prescribed requirements of PCIPC registration but have undertaken and passed the required PCIPC assessment. Furthermore, licensed PCO’s have maintained their prescribed 25 CPD credits throughout their registration cycle.
In terms of the PCIPC requirements and a licensed PCO maintaining their PCIPC registration, a licensed PCO must issue a CoC on all pest control work/applications undertaken by them.
The assessment allows the PCIPC to ascertain your knowledge and understanding of the respective provisions of the act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies. Once you have passed the assessment you will be allowed to issue the PCIPC certificate of conformance. The PCIPC reserves the right to call you up for an assessment at any time if the PCIPC finds that you do not have the necessary knowledge and understanding of the respective provisions of the act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies.
The PCIPC are a written-based, open book, 60-minute assessment. It will centre around your understanding and knowledge of the respective act/regulations, and the applicable codes of practice for the use of agricultural remedies.
The PCIPC written assessment are done online in the comfort of your home or office. A physical assessment can be undertaken, but this must be done at the PCIPC office in Centurion, Pretoria.
Due to possible fraudulent activity, you cannot have access to your assessment. You can contact the PCIPC to discuss the outcome and the areas that you can improve on. If you feel that you have been unfairly treated and or assessed, you are welcome and encouraged to complete and submit a Disagreement with an Assessment form. The prescribed procedure for disagreement of an assessment will be followed which is made known when you apply for the assessment.