Details

Created: 09 February 2018

Suggestion:

Rock Mechanics paper should be marked by the University Lecturer. This is because when the examiner is from your company and they company does not need a Rock Engineer, they will fail you until such time they need one. The question is, why do we pass all 40 university module for B Mining Eng. and pass 6 module for MSc Eng. degree but fail 3 RMC modules for 5 consecutive years, this is purely unfair. We should rather pay more for the registration fee and get an independent body for marking the examination.

Response:
 
Firstly, SANIRE and CHAMBER OF MINES (COM) is not a company that employs Rock Engineers. The Chamber as the issuer of the certificate of competence, whilst SANIRE is the Technical Expert making up the exam board committee who govern  the entire process.
 
The examiner and moderator are selected on merit by SANIRE in conjunction of with the COM. This done without knowledge of current staff requirements at the selected examiner or moderators working place. The exams are then marked without knowing who is the candidate since only ID numbers are used on each script, hence the process should be unbiased.  We can assure you that failing candidates just for the sack of failing is not the vision and goal of SANIRE and the COM. The papers are marked once by the examiner, then by the moderator. If you so wish even a remark is available by an additional person.
 
Secondly, passing the Chamber exams expects of a candidate to achieve 60% in one sitting, whereas universities only require aggregate of 50% (This has not considered a semester mark which reduces the marks required in the final exam to pass the module). At University, you are guided through the material / content, whereas the Chamber Certificate is focussed on self-learning. The student also gets ample opportunities to pass the module. Assignments and tutor classes, test in the semester for preparation, normal exam, supplementary and in some instances even a special exams are available. The COM on the other hand is a once off three hour session only.
 
Our portfolio member for Education would like to investigate this further, hence contact him directly as to initiate communications and we could possible review all your exams externally.
 
info@sanire.co.za  / suggestions@sanire.co.za

Details

Created: 09 February 2018

Query:

I just have a quick query regarding the arrangements for the Rock Mechanics Practicals. Has the date and other arrangements been sent out yet?

Response:

Good Day
 
Thank you for your comment, please see SANIRE response
 
SANIRE in conjunction with the COM as preparation for 2020 qualifications launch, is in the process of taking over the practical exams registration process. This is in line with the COM requirements and standards.
 
An online registration system will be launched before the end of February, whereby registration will be open until a date determined by the portfolio holder of Education. Once there are enough registered candidates then the exams will be scheduled and the process will commence.
 
Thanks
SANIRE President

Details

Created: 15 January 2018

Suggestion:

My suggestion or comment would be on strata control practical exam. I would like to know what is the procedure of conducting/hosting strata control practical exam at our mine. We have candidates with theory anticipating practical exam. Please advance in way about hosting exam. e.g items of who must sent the exam, how must examine and how many candidates... just briefly explain the procedure. Thanks.

Response:

Dear SANIRE Member
 
The SANIRE Council would like to thank you for your comment.
 
During the last exam sittings we noted that there were concerns with the entire process and therefore late in December we established a task team under the Education portfolio. This task team was tasked with ironing out the procedure and guidelines. Currently the team is busy drafting and building systems to ensure that the procedures can be followed accordingly with the candidates best interest in mind. As soon as these have been finalised and signed off by the council it will be made public to all members. The timeline for this announcement will be within the first quarter of the year.
 
A procedure will be issued on approval from council and industry within due course outlining all the guidelines and steps that need to be adhered to.
 
We sincerely hope that we have answered your comment to the best of our ability. Please feel free to revert back to us with any other additional comments.
 
Thanks
SANIRE President
Jannie Maritz.

Details

Created: 29 September 2017

Suggestion:

My suggestion, or comment would be on the Rock Mechanics Practicals. It is already October Month, with the next round of written examinations due, but the practical candidates have not yet been contacted with regards to a date for the practicals. The year is heading towards its end at an alarming pace, and we would really like to complete the said practicals before time runs out. Please keep us in the loop, as the last communication received in this regard was end of July 2017.

Response:

Thank you for your comment/ suggestion. SANIRE council has consulted the organisers with regards to your enquiry. A notification of the exams location and venue has been sent out to all the candidates that successfully registered with the chamber of mine. The exam will be hosted on the 27th October 2017 at the University of Pretoria. The guidelines for the practical was also attached to this correspondence. If you did not receive the correspondence please confirm with Colin Anderson that if you are registered and secondly please confirm that all your contact details are correct.
 
Colin Anderson - canderson@chamberofmines.org.za
 
In addition to the above feedback it must be noted that all Narrow Tabular and Massive Mining candidates have been contacted. According to the records there were no registered Coal candidates and examinations for the Open pit candidates have not yet been finalized due to the limited and unavailability of examiners. These exams will be handled in due course once examiners become available.

Details

Created: 20 September 2017

Suggestion:

I would just like to comment regarding the AGM that was recently held. Why is it that not all of the winners were contacted beforehand and notified that they need to attend due to receiving awards? I find this to be poorly organised and requires attention.

Response:

On behalf of the SANIRE Council we apologise for any inconvenience caused. We have identified the problem and will ensure that we improve our organisational process for the next AGM. We did send out notifications to all prize winners, however it seems that the contact details which we have on our records are either old or incorrect. We are in the process of drawing up a member verification form, which will be sent out to all members so that we can update the database and prevent a reoccurrence in the future. Thank you for your suggestion and assisting us to make SANIRE a better professional organisation.