What Is GCC?
GCC stands for Government Certificate of Competency.
The Certificate of Competency as a Mechanical and / or Electrical Engineering Technician is issued by the Department of Labour (Factories) or the Department of Minerals and Energy Affairs (Mines) to a person with the necessary academic diploma/degree and practical experience and who has passed a qualifying examination.
A person with such a certificate must take responsibility for the operation of a factory or mine where the consumption of electricity exceeds a certain limit.
The requirements for acceptance as a GCC Candidate also depend on the type of qualification you have. The type of qualification you have will influence the amount of experience required.
Subjects Required for GCC Factories
There are three routes that may allow you to qualify as GCC factories candidate:
- Route 1 is for applicants with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering obtained from a University
- Route 2 is for applicants with a national diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering (including BTech) from a Higher Education and Training institution such as UNISA, UJ, VUT, etc.
- Route 3 is for applicants with a national technical diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering from a TVET college (or the formerly FET colleges)
Route 1 applicants need to submit their degree qualification and satisfy the Commission of examiners that they have sufficient maintenance and operation experience.
Route 2 applicants need to satisfy the Commission of Examiners that the educational institution’s curriculum covers the plant engineering syllabus. They need to satisfy the Commission of examiners that they have sufficient maintenance and operation experience.
Route 2 applicants do not have “minimum” subjects to complete, but the Commission of Examiners may require the applicant to complete additional subjects if they are of the opinion that the applicant’s national diploma curriculum did not sufficiently cover the plant engineering syllabus.
Route 3 applicants need to satisfy the Commission of Examiners that the educational institution’s curriculum covers the plant engineering syllabus. And, the curriculum needs to consist of the minimum subjects for mechanical or electrical applicants. They need to satisfy the Commission of examiners that they have sufficient maintenance and operation experience.
The purpose of this post is to present the route 3 minimum subjects for mechanical or electrical applicants. The minimum subjects required differ between the route 3 mechanical and electrical applicants.
Required mechanical GCC factories subjects
The minimum GCC factories subject the mechanical national technical diploma applicants need to complete are:
- N3 engineering drawing
- N4 engineering science
- N4 industrial electronics
- N4 mathematics
- N5 fluid mechanics
- N5 electro-technics
- N6 control system
- N6 mechanotechnics
- N6 power machines
- N6 strength of materials
- N6 fluid mechanics
- N6 supervisory management
Required electrical GCC factories subjects
The minimum GCC factories subject the electrical national technical diploma applicants need to complete are:
- N3 engineering drawing
- N4 engineering science
- N4 mathematics
- N5 strength of materials
- N6 control systems
- N6 mechanotechnics
- N6 power machines
- N6 industrial electronics
- N6 electro-technics
- N6 supervisory management
MINE ENGINEERS’ CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY
The Mine Engineers’ certificates of competency are licences to practice at a South African mine. These certificates are issued to a competent person who can be appointed legally to perform duties of a mine engineer at a South African mine as stipulated in the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act 29 of 1996) as amended and its regulations.
There are two types of Mine Engineers’ certificates of competency (Mines and Works):
- Mine Engineers’ certificates of competency – Electrical
- Mine Engineers’ certificates of competency – Mechanical
A candidate must apply to the Department of Mineral Resources to commence with training as an Engineer at a South African mine. The candidate must be exposed, assessed and found competent in all the Annexure E modules by a Resident Engineer.
A candidate can only apply to write the examination the Mine Engineers’ certificate of competency after the Department of Mineral Resources assessed the submitted documents. It is imperative that the submitted documents are accompanied by a fully completed Annexure E.
It is only after the candidate completed the written examination and is found competent by the Department of Mineral Resources that a Mine Engineers’ certificate of competency is issued. The written examination consists of two subjects, i.e. Legal Knowledge and Plant Engineering.
The process of co-ordination and acceptance of Mine Engineers’ certificate of competency candidates, including the issuing of certificates, is done at the Head Office component of the Department of Mineral Resources.
All applications and enquiries – acceptance as a candidate and acceptance to write examinations – should be directed to gcc_examinations@dmr.gov.za
Government Certificate of Competency Contract Information:
Written application for admission to the examination for the Certificate of Competency can be addressed to:
Factories : Department of Manpower
Chief Directorate: Occupational Safety
Private Bag X117
Pretoria, 0001
Mines & Industries : Department of Minerals & Energy Affairs
Private Bag X59
Pretoria, 0001
The written application must also include a letter stating that all the prescribed theoretical requirements have been met. This letter is obtainable from the Department of Power Engineering.
How do I get GCC in South Africa?
You can submit the application once you meet the GCC factories requirements from the Department of Employment & Labour. There are three routes that may allow you to qualify as GCC factories candidate: Route 1 is for applicants with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering obtained from a University.
How long does it take to complete GCC?
The duration is from the date you receive the appropriate qualification to be issued the Certificate of Competency by the Chief Inspector.
Department of labor GCC information brochure