Electricity + Control March 2018

A Visit to JB Switchgear Solutions

JB Switchgear Solutions is a manufacturer of a comprehensive range of electrical switchgear systems. Forty years in the industry, Managing Director, Johan Basson, is a senior member of the SAIEE and serves on various technical committees of the SABS. The company’s symbol – the Eagle – represents Vision, Focus, Strength and Intelligence – attributes which permeate through this company. We spent a couple of hours with Johan – followed by a tour of the factory.

A lways a hard worker with goals and ambi- tion, Johan Basson has built a company of people who themselves are hard workers, with goals and ambition. This is what is encouraged in JB Switchgear Solutions. SO passionate is Johan about development in the industry, that he came out of retirement to set up JB Switchgear Solutions … ‘with a vision to prove that in South Africa we have the competence, skills and capabilities to real- ise the potential that lies locked up in this country’. As an employer, what is your vision? Over the last five years, especially, for business- men and industrialists, the operating environment has become difficult because of the economic, political and unemployment challenges that we have in this country. I hope to leave behind em- powered young (previously disadvantaged) people, who are educated and confident enough to reach

cess; success that encompasses personal growth, community growth and country growth. Each of us asks at some time in our lives: What difference can I make as an individual? Well, one person can- not change the world, but one person can change the world for somebody. It starts with small steps which eventually lead to the ultimate objective. We have a powerful Enterprise Development Pro- gramme with the aim of growing industrial and commercial power and knowledge. We employ around 100 people. Forty to 45% of the people in this company are candidates that we have select- ed from our Enterprise Development Programme. We train and assist them financially to build their own businesses and then we use them to do our business. The skills that they learn include technical skills – an area in which in this country we are lag- ging. In the last 20 years there hasn’t been as much training as there should have been from industry. In the past, big parastatals and companies like Eskom, Sasol and Iscor had huge training programmes. Consider the fact that the average age of a qualified artisan today is 57 years… old ‘grey beards’. We are simply not training sufficient artisans. At JB Switchgear Solutions we train a number of artisans… including women. Historically wom- en were not well represented in engineering dis- ciplines. It was unusual for a woman to become Explain your Enterprise Development Programme

Take Note!

Over the last five years the operating envi- ronment has become difficult because of the economic, political and unemployment challeng- es that we have in South Africa. In South Africa we have the competence, skills and capabilities to real- ise the potential that lies locked up in this country. One of key aspects of this company’s offering is technical compliance with National and Inter- national standards.

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the ideals to which they aspire. To do this at the same time as we are servicing the needs of our customers, we create a platform for our employees to grow and develop careers that can take them forward into suc- Recognition rewards – wherein good performance and initiative are rewarded: Mduduzi Hlekwayo, Lerato Mothibe, Johan Basson, Sam Ngwenya and Jason Mann.

8 Electricity + Control

MARCH 2018