Formation and History
SAFCA was inaugurated on 13 October 1989 as a national organisation to represent and assist forestry contractors and forward their interests in the commercial forestry industry. The inauguration took place at Kaapsehoop, Mpumalanga and SAFCA was formed with 9 initial members.
The organization was formed to further the common purpose of forestry contractors, without infringing on contractor competitive position or serving individual interests.
Various services like a Provident Fund, Medical Aid, Legal Aid, Central Buying, Public Liability insurance, Quality Audits, Training facilitation and Capacity Development, Short-Term insurance, Costing model development, forestry-technical advice and representation on various industry forums were part of the SAFCA services. Over the years and from experience SAFCA retained the services of insurance, capacity development, forestry-technical advice & costing, training facilitation and capacity development and representation on different forums (universities, Forestry Charter Council, SETA).
SAFCA Functions and Member Service
Association: An Association of members associate for some common reason. Contractors are in competition with each other, but there are also aspects, like legal, insurance, labour and political (Statutory) and training and development aspects where they do have a common interest that can be addressed through association (Group representation).
Functions:
Representing Contractors and working together with:
- Forestry South Africa on various matters like human resources, wage determination and other legislative / statutory issues.
- FP&M SETA to develop qualifications and training and development standards for the SA forestry industry.
- Addressing common issues in the industry bearing on members like training facilitation.
- FITPA (Forestry Industry Training Association) and SAFCA accredited training providers to ensure acceptable standards of training.
- Forestry Charter Council to attend to BBBEE matters and contractor codes of good practice.
- Insurance companies to mitigate the risk of contractors for the use of equipment as well as Public Liability insurance with the extensions of fire and pollution.
- Life assurance brokers for the benefit of businesses and their employees.
- Academic institutions for the placement of forestry students with contractors for work integrated learning and internships.
Services
1. Technical advice on:
- Forest Engineering
- Silviculture
- Protection
- Transportation of round wood.
2. Business and Administrative services:
- Assisting with Business Plans
- Costing models (available and assisting with use) for Harvesting, Silviculture, Pitting and Planting, Mulching and Drones.
3. Facilitation of Group Public Liability schemes (General PL) that is extended to cover spread of fire and pollution.
4. Facilitation of a Group Provident fund.
5. Training co-ordination, facilitation and management for some major forestry growers.
6. Quality assurance of forestry training.
7. Hosting the Forestry Training Indaba.
8. Representation at various forums including:
- FSA HR Committee
- Forestry Charter Council
- Nelson Mandela University (Forestry Advisory Board)
- Stellenbosch University (Forestry Advisory Board)
- Cape Forum for development (to replant exit areas)
- Quality Assurance Committee of the FP&M SETA
9. Ad hoc Group representation.