SGB-Cape Rope Access, a division of Waco Africa, offers specialist rope access services and has stated that there is a shortage of skills in the “work at height” industry in South Africa. 

A specialist field of work – and not for the faint-hearted – there are significant advantages to using “rope access” over traditional access methods such as scaffolding and mobile elevated working platforms. Apart from the ease of access to hard-to-reach locations, utilising rope access offers an affordable alternative to other methods, such as building scaffolding, and can be set up quickly, efficiently and with minimal disruption. 

Cobus Joubert, manager at SGB-Cape Rope Access, explained, “Say for example a light bulb, 40 meters in the air at a construction or mining site, needs to be changed. Instead of orchestrating an entire operation that requires scaffolding to be built – which includes a number of heavy-duty vehicles, drivers, builders, going through an organisation’s supply chain process – and then of course everything has to be taken down again, a simple task of changing the light bulb can take several weeks or months. On the other hand, a couple of rope access technicians can do the same job in a matter of days.” 

Mr Joubert continued, “Here in South Africa we have a multitude of industries that are already using rope access technicians, such as construction, power, oil and gas, banner signage, industrial maintenance and telecommunications industries. However, we find that we have a serious lack of skill and qualified technicians and would encourage adventurous souls to actively pursue it as a career. To become a rope access technician is not as daunting as most people think, and the first entry-level qualification is aimed at individuals with little or zero previous experience.” 

IRATA Training

SGB Cape Offshore (Pty) Ltd is an accredited provider of IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) industrial rope access training courses. IRATA is recognised as the world’s leading authority on industrial rope access and directs and regulates the training of all workers seeking an IRATA qualification through its' accredited providers. To find out more and to register for IRATA level 1, 2 or 3, please visit https://www.sgbcaperopeaccess.co.za/What-We-Do/IRATA-TRAINING-COURSES/IRATA-Courses-Offered. 

About SGB-Cape Rope Access

SGB-Cape Rope Access is an operating division of SGB-Cape, one of South Africa’s leading service providers of access scaffolding and industrial access-based maintenance such as thermal insulation and corrosion protection. SGB-Cape is part of Waco International, a focused equipment rental and industrial services business with operations in Africa (South Africa and other sub-Saharan African countries), Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) and the United Kingdom. The Group provides services in the areas of formwork, shoring and scaffolding, insulation, painting and blasting, hydraulic and suspended access platforms, relocatable modular buildings, portable sanitation products and integrated hygiene services. https://sgbcape.co.za/

JOHANNESBURG, 05 August 2016 – This weekend saw the Jeep Team Obstacle Course super stars, Thomas Van Tonder and Carina Marx take 1^st place in their categories respectively in the Battlerush Winter Charge at the Jozi X Adventure Centre on 31 July 2016. Jeep Team’s Joshua Masudi took 7^th place. The Battlerush Winter Charge is considered to be the ultimate obstacle course race, as it is designed by athletes for athletes. It took place over 10km consisting of 36 obstacles built in and around the Jozi X Adventure Centre, the PWC Bike Park and around St. Peter’s College. The obstacles were given names such as the Sternum checker, Irish table, Blades of walls, Traverse walls, Big walls, Peg board, Rope climb, Up container and Down container. With just 25 seconds between 1^st and 3^rd place in the Elite Men’s category, Thomas Van Tonder’s race was brutish and tight as he fought hard against well-known OCR athletes, Bradley Claase, Louis Smit and Greg Avierinos.

Van Tonder, having upped his training regime over the past couple of months, eventually took top podium in 50m13s with Claase in 2^nd in 50m25s, and 3^rd going to Louis Smit in 53m38s. Fourth place went to Greg Avierinos in 58m05. Jeep Team’s OCR women’s superstar, Carina Marx, has slowly climbed the ladder of success over the past year whilst being under the Jeep Team OCR banner. Her progress has been remarkable – a true test of a champion is to take defeat in hand and work it over until it is victorious. From the start of the Battlerush, Marx made her presence known and dug deep to the end against the toughest of OCR elite competitors, even creating minutes between her and Hanneke Dannhauser and Sabrina Daolio. Carina won the battle to 1^st place in the Elite Women’s category in a time of 01h07m30s, with Sabrina Daolio 2^nd in 01h10m48s, and Hanneke Dannhauser in 3^rd place with 01h12m35s. Jeep Team’s Joshua Masudi, came in the top 10 at a solid 7^th place, in a time of 59m49s.

RESULTS:

MEN:

1. Thomas Van Tonder 00:50:13
2. Bradley Claase 00:50:25
3. Louis Smit 00:53:38
4. Greg Avierinos 00:58:05
5. Willem Erasmus 00:58:44

WOMEN:

1. Carina Marx 01:07:30
2. Sabrina Daolio 01:10:48
3. Hanneke Dannhauser 01:12:35
4. Michelle Meyer 01:18:20
5. Natasha Deley 01:21:32

OTHER JEEP TEAM RESULTS Multisport DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL:

The KZN Duathlon Championship took place on Sunday, 31 July 2016 at the Dube Trade Port near King Shaka International Airport, with top athletes from all over KwaZulu-Natal competing for the Championship medals. The KZN Duathlon Champs consisted of run, cycle, run legs with a first running leg of 5km, a cycle of 20km, and a second running leg of 2.5km. Mikaela completed her opening 5km run in an impressive 20m19s with an equally solid 20km cycle in 44m46s, and final 2.5km run in 09m54s, with a total time of 01h16m03. This was good enough for Jonsson to win her age category 18-19yrs women, with Daniela Arrigo in 2nd in 1hr21m16, and Mikaela Sclanders in 3rd in 1hr28m50.

RESULTS:

WOMEN:

1. Mikaela Jonsson 01:16:03 (18-19)
2. Daniella Arrigo 01:21:16 (16-17)
3. Micaela Sclanders 01:28:50 (18-19)

MEN:

1. Gareth Marquiss 01:02:19 (18-19)
2. Ben De La Porte 01:02:23 (16-17)
3. Darren Marquiss 01:03:14 (18-19)
4. Raymond Radebe 01:06:34 (18-19)
5. Dean Packham 01:06:48 (18-19)

#JeepTeamSA Editors’ Notes
For more information please contact Bronwen Blunden on 079 060 1905 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.