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All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
| SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
| REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
| Advanced Occupational Certificate: Building Inspector Practitioner |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 125076 | Advanced Occupational Certificate: Building Inspector Practitioner | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| Development Quality Partner - LG SETA | ||||
| PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
| QCTO - Quality Council for Trades and Occupations | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
| QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
| Advanced Occupational Cert | Field 12 - Physical Planning and Construction | Physical Planning, Design and Management | ||
| ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
| Undefined | 165 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 06 | Regular-ELOAC |
| REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
| Registered | EXCO 0936/25 | 2025-11-13 | 2029-11-13 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2030-11-13 | 2033-11-13 | |||
| In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. |
| PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
| Purpose:
The qualification prepares learners to operate as registered Building Inspector Practitioners. A Building Inspector Practitioner is responsible for ensuring that construction projects comply with national building regulations, safety standards, and industry codes. They assess building plans, conduct on-site inspections, and enforce compliance to ensure that structures are safe, functional, and legally constructed. A qualified Building Inspector will be able to: This qualification equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills required to become proficient Building Inspector Practitioners, empowering them to contribute effectively to the built environment sector. By gaining expertise in evaluating building plans, inspecting construction projects, and assessing existing buildings, learners will be prepared to ensure compliance with building regulations, safety standards, and legal requirements. The qualification enhances career prospects by providing essential competencies, such as critical thinking, report writing, and legal expertise, which will help learners perform their roles with confidence and competence. Additionally, learners will gain hands-on experience in assessing structural integrity, interpreting geotechnical reports, and issuing legal notices, setting them up for success in a growing industry. A qualifying learner will demonstrate the following attributes: Analytical thinking, Attention to detail, Strong communication, Dispute resolution skills, Present clear inspection reports, and Ethical professionalism. Rationale: The built environment is a key sector in South Africa's economy and Building Inspector Practitioners play a vital role in ensuring the safety, functionality, and regulatory compliance of buildings. However, individuals hiring into the profession often have qualifications in fields such as engineering, quantity surveying, or architecture, but lack the specific competencies required for building inspection. This qualification aims to address this gap by providing formal training in building inspection, equipping learners with the necessary skills to assess building conditions, enforce compliance with national regulations, and ensure good construction practices. Targeted at those wishing to pursue a career in building inspection or upskill existing professionals, it will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of building inspections, professionalising the sector, and supporting the development of safe, sustainable buildings in South Africa. This qualification will significantly benefit the sector, society, and economy by addressing the critical shortage of skilled Building Inspector Practitioners, a profession essential to ensuring safety, compliance, and sustainability in the built environment. As one of South Africa's important economic drivers, the built environment requires professionals who can enforce building regulations and standards to safeguard public welfare. By providing formal training to individuals, the qualification ensures that Building Inspector Practitioners possess the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct thorough inspections, contributing to the prevention of poor construction practices and promoting regulatory compliance. This, in turn, leads to safer, more sustainable infrastructure, benefiting communities and supporting the growth of the South African economy through the development of quality buildings that align with national standards and regulations. The typical learners for this qualification are individuals who are keen to pursue a career in building inspection, particularly those with a background in engineering, quantity surveying, project management, or architecture. Many of these individuals may have experience in the built environment but lack the formal qualifications or specialised training required for building inspection. This qualification is suitable for individuals aiming to enter the building inspection sector or improve their existing roles as building plan assessors, works inspectors, or other professionals in the built environment. It also targets those who need to formalise their skills and knowledge through an accredited qualification, thereby enhancing their career prospects and increasing their effectiveness in ensuring compliance with national building standards and regulations. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders: Typical occupations in which the qualifying learner will operate: Collaboration with relevant stakeholders: Typical professions in which the qualifying learner will operate. |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for Access to Training: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a qualification, part-qualification if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a qualification. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner can display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for exemption from modules: For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification of learning, qualification, part-qualification or skills qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA, in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved. Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications is approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules:
Knowledge Modules Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 65 Practical Skill Modules Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 30 Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 70 |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Assess, evaluate, and approve complex building plans by interpreting and applying relevant legislation, regulations, and building standards.
2. Inspect building work under construction, ensuring compliance with approved building plans, regulatory requirements, and safety standards. 3. Assess the condition of buildings post-construction, evaluating structural integrity, safety, compliance with relevant building codes, and overall quality. 4. Issue legal notices in accordance with relevant building regulations, by-laws, and legislative frameworks, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and addressing non-compliance issues in building construction and operations. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
ELO 1: Assess, evaluate, and approve complex building plans by interpreting and applying relevant legislation, regulations, and building standards. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: ELO 2: Inspect building work under construction, ensuring compliance with approved building plans, regulatory requirements, and safety standards. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: ELO 3: Assess the condition of buildings post-construction, evaluating structural integrity, safety, compliance with relevant building codes, and overall quality. Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: ELO 4: Issue legal notices in accordance with relevant building regulations, by-laws, and legislative frameworks, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and addressing non-compliance issues in building construction and operations. Integrated Assessment Formative Assessments: Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities is used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment. Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained. Formative Assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, and interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided. Integrated Summative Assessments: Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification, such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed. An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification. Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g. applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc. The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. An SoR, using the template provided by the Quality Partner, is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the final result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component, was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA. External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certifying a learner. For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating: The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical and Work Experience modules. OR The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge and Application Components. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| This qualification was compared to similar qualifications from the United Kingdom and New Zealand:
Country: United Kingdom Institution name: Awarding Body for the Built Environment (ABBE) Qualification title: ABBE Level 6 Diploma in Building Surveying Entry Requirements: Modules: Purpose: The ABBE Level 6 Diploma in Building Surveying is aimed at learners who wish to formalise their knowledge and work experience in building surveying. This may involve dealing with a variety of tasks, whether undertaking surveys and inspections of buildings, providing advice on individual building defects, submitting applications for Planning Permission or Listed Building Consent or organising construction projects. The ABBE diploma is designed to confirm occupational competence in building surveying, equipping learners to conduct property surveys, manage construction projects, handle planning applications, and provide technical advice. Similarly, the proposed South African qualification aims to develop occupational competence in building inspection, with a focused emphasis on ensuring compliance with national building regulations, safety standards, and environmental policies. Exit-Level Outcomes: Qualifying learners of the ABBE diploma demonstrate professional competence in areas such as property inspection, contract administration, legal compliance, and sustainability. The South African qualification seeks to achieve similar outcomes but with a distinct regulatory enforcement focus. This includes the application of inspection protocols, occupational health and safety compliance, and the use of data-informed risk assessment to support enforcement decisions, ensuring that qualifying learners are equipped to perform effectively in both municipal and private sector compliance roles. Similarities: Differences: Country: New Zealand Institution name: Building Officials Institute of New Zealand (BOINZ) Qualification title: New Zealand Diploma in Building Surveying Duration: 2 Years of Full-time Entry Requirements: Purpose: The New Zealand Diploma aims to develop broad competencies for professionals working as building surveyors, inspectors, or compliance officers, equipping them to perform across a spectrum of regulatory and enforcement roles. Similarities: Differences: Conclusion: Overall, while the United Kingdom and the New Zealand qualifications provide a strong foundation in building surveying and regulatory compliance, the South African qualification is more specialised, directly preparing learners for the role of a Building Inspector in South Africa, with a strong emphasis on legislation, compliance enforcement, inspection methodologies, and sustainability in the built environment. Despite the similarity, the three qualifications differ notably in their purpose, scope, delivery and duration. The South African qualification strikes a balance between these two, with 165 credits and a focused purpose: to train Building Inspectors who can enforce national legislation, assess health and safety compliance, and conduct on-site inspections with attention to environmental standards. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification provides opportunities for horizontal, vertical and diagonal articulation options.
Horizontal Articulation: Within OQSF - Between sub-frameworks - Vertical Articulation: Diagonal Articulation: |
| MODERATION OPTIONS |
| N/A. |
| CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
| N/A. |
| NOTES |
| Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements:
Criteria for the accreditation of providers: Accreditation requirements, against which Skills Development Providers (SDP) and Assessment Centres will be accredited, are found in the Curriculum Document, as listed below. The curriculum title and code is: Advanced Occupational Certificate: Building Inspector Practitioner: 335913-001-00-00 Encompassed Trade: Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) |
| LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| NONE |
| PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
| NONE |
| All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |