Geomatics and strategic infrastructure planning
Peter Newmarch
Given the new Geomatics Act, the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and activities around the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act (SDI), the development of the Geomatics industry will require concerted efforts on the part of the new Geomatics Council and the institutes to all play their parts in the nation’s strategic infrastructure planning initiatives.
SAGI recognises the role it can play in this process by way of creating best practice standards, hosting appropriate workshops, educating the public and clients on Geomatics, marketing the profession, better communications, lobbying and in conjunction with GISSA and IMSSA, holding industry-wide conferences. Such matters are not a comprehensive listing as indeed there are many other issues SAGI gets involved in and attempts to address and resolve for its membership.
We live in changing times. Hardware and software are changing how things get done, The Internet of Things is impacting on how we do business and in some cases, whether we even remain in business. Our industry has both internal and external challenges and we must face them head on and adapt our business models. Society around the world is moving from an energy- and resource-driven economy to an information-driven economy – why then are the geomatics professions not at the forefront of that information economy?
Why is it that, aside from the traditional role we play, we are not the gatekeepers with respect to such fields as asset management, underground services detection, so called “as-built” plans, and BIM systems? What are we doing wrong as a profession? Such are the questions SAGI is looking into and putting in place action plans and policies to address.
Many issues relate to factors such as governance, training and education, business skills, standards, and marketing the profession. In some measure, the Geomatics Act will greatly assist in guiding the profession by way of a sorely needed “recommended” tariff, determining work reservation and the recognition of prior learning. For the first time ever, the profession has also now legislated principles of the profession – a bold and clear statement of what is Geomatics – in this country at least.
SAGI recently fought off various work reservation attempts by a whole host of professions that sought to regulate some of the activities listed under the Geomatics Principles. Activities which some practitioners already do and advise clients on. Historically surveyors have lost ground to many other professions and we must ensure that as a Geomatics Profession, we protect what we have and make full use of the principles as laid down in the Geomatics Act.
Having such legislation does not mean one can rest easy – we in many ways face a client image problem. The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform addressed the profession two years ago, and I am sure many can recall his words which were to the effect that we needed to educate government and clients about what we do. It is likely for this very reason that we do not “own the client” – a term we like to use to indicate that a Geomatics Professional should be the first port of call for a client and in so doing, is seen as a professional instead of some downstream contractor on a project – with one’s input and scope of works dictated to by others.
We have a long road to travel, SAGI’s resolve is resolute: Practitioners problems must and will be solved. It is by no means easy, and difficult choices lie ahead as the profession lays a new pathway, with new legislation in a volatile and ever-changing world – a globalised world, in which South Africa is but a small cog in the greater scope of things. We have little control of hardware and software, but we do have control of knowledge, education, professional ethics and conduct – tools which we must apply for the benefit of the profession, the public and South Africa.
Send your comments to positionit@ee.co.za
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