Details

Created: 20 March 2018

Suggestion:

Jaco: Please update the events page/calendar on the website, specifically with reference to exams, practicals, branch meetings, etc. The current calendar is bare, except for 2 ISRM events.

Response:

Good Day Jaco

Thank you for your suggestion, SANIRE will update the events calendar to the best of our ability, keeping in mind that branch meetings and other events are organised and arranged through SANIRE branches and not always through SANIRE council.
 
Thanks
SANIRE President
Jannie Maritz

Details

Created: 15 March 2018

Suggestion:

I fully support the suggestion made on the 9th of February that "Rock Mechanics paper should be marked by the University Lecturer. This is because when the examiner is from your company and they company does…" because being conflicted doesn't undermine the merit of the examiner. The companies have a database of our I.D numbers and the managers have access to that database. Yes the universities guide us and have other assessment tools, this enable one to understand more than a 3 hour assessment seating that determines if you understand the entire rock engineering by asking a few things. That is why the university qualification is recognized by professional bodies like ECSA. A pass mark of 60% does not necessarily COM exams are far better than the universities Qualification, Especially those with six MSc Modules in Rock Engineering. On the issue of Remarking, your allowed to do remarking if you obtained 55-59%. 90% of these candidate rock engineer with appropriate degrees and/or 2 RMC courses work and Rock Engineers anyway meaning the qualify but cannot be appointed because of pending paper. This process is facilitating exploitation of cheap labour.

Response:
 
Noted, Thank you.
SANIRE President

Details

Created: 15 March 2018

Suggestion:

Quick one, can Sanire please make available the guidelines for the Rock Mechanics Practical Exam?

Response:

Thank you for your reply, we have identified the problem and we should have the documents up as soon as they become available after review as a result of the changes to the system.
 
Thanks
SANIRE President
Jannie Maritz

Details

Created: 08 March 2018

Query:

What are the qualifications and experience of examiners and who vets them. In my day, only the esteemed high standing members were allowed to exam. These days it seems like examiners are selected arbitrarily and probably have no more than 10 years post ticket experience. Can SANIRE send out a examiners guideline and criteria list to all its members. This should be transparent. Hopefully, SANIRE responds openly, with a list of examiners, their experience and qualifications, rather than provide some vague answer that they normally hide behind.

Response:
 
Good day SANIRE Member
 
Thank you for your comment raised with regards to the examiners. The SANIRE website has the current list of all the examiners as well as a table with a search function where all their COM certificate of competency can be viewed. If you would like to enquire further on more qualifications, majority of the examiners have Linkedin profiles which shows their experiences and qualifications.
 
Thanks
SANIRE President

Details

Created: 23 February 2018

Query:

I would like to follow up regarding the Rock Mechanics Practical Exams.  Has a date been set yet, or can I contact Mr Jacques Lucas directly with queries?

How does this affect those that already registered via the CoM, and paid the registration fees, do they not have a list of registered candidates already?  This seems counter-productive at this stage of the process?
 
Also, just another concern (please tell me if I am concerned for no reason), I am specifically interested in doing the practical exam for the open pit option.  Due to examiners not being available, the last round of practical’s done for the open pit was in January 2017 (this was due in December 2016, but was postponed).  Thus, 2017 was in effect skipped, and I am concerned that it may happen once again.  Your feedback (or the council’s feedback) will mean a lot in terms of re-assurance.
 
I trust you understand, and look forward to your reply.
 
Thanks for your prompt responses.
 
Kind Regards

Response:
 
Dear Morne
 
No need to be concerned.  There will be a practical soon. The examiners met on Friday (16 Feb) to sort out the logistics around how and where to host the exam.
 
A note will follow soon.  Those candidates that have registered with the CoM will be transferred to the SANIRE admin system.  Do not worry about this.  All the personnel involved does in fact talk to each other.  We know who registered already and for which practical.
 
Trust you find this explanation in order.
Regards
 
Best Regards
 
JANNIE MARITZ
PRESIDENT l FUTURE EDUCATION