By Eamonn Ryan
Margaret Molefe, director for Hazardous Chemicals Management at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), delivered a keynote speech at the SADC RAC interactive workshop. This is Part 4 of a seven-part series.
Molefe shifted her focus to the vital role of the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in food security, particularly in countries that depend on the import of perishable foods. The refrigeration sector is essential for preserving food, reducing food waste and ensuring that vaccines and medicines are stored at the correct temperatures. She raised critical questions about how countries are training their service technicians, particularly those who work in sectors like harbours and logistics, where refrigeration is crucial to maintaining the integrity of perishable goods during transportation.
In response to these challenges, South Africa is working with its partners, including GIZ (German Corporation for International Cooperation), to integrate the programme into the refrigeration and air conditioning training curriculum. This programme focuses on training technicians to handle environmentally friendly refrigerants and ensure that refrigeration systems used in food storage and transport meet high environmental standards.
Addressing informal technicians and training gaps
One of the most pressing issues, Molefe noted, is the large number of informal refrigeration technicians working in the sector. These technicians often have practical experience but lack formal qualifications. In South Africa, this issue was particularly noticeable in 2016/17 when the government conducted an introspection into the skills gaps within the refrigeration workforce. It was discovered that many technicians, particularly those who had worked with family businesses or had informal apprenticeships, did not possess formal certifications or sufficient practical training. Moreover, many of the training courses available to them had been overly theoretical, with little emphasis on hands-on experience.
To address this gap, the South African government, in collaboration with industry stakeholders and quality assurance bodies, developed a national training course aimed at certifying informal technicians. Molefe emphasised that the goal was to ensure that every technician working in the refrigeration sector had the necessary qualifications to handle refrigerants safely. This was further supported by a new policy, which will require all technicians to present a valid certification before purchasing refrigerants from distributors.
National certification and training success
Molefe proudly announced that, through this initiative, 402 service technicians have been trained through a five-day course, which included both theoretical and practical components. Upon completing the course, technicians received a certificate and a safe handling card, which is essential for their work. These cards act as proof of the technician’s qualifications and are now required for handling refrigerants safely.