The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has announced the official gazetting of its Guideline Scope of Services and Professional Fees, marking a major win on ECSA guideline fees for the engineering fraternity. Published on 16 May 2025 with an effective date of 2 April 2025, the guideline received the green light following approval of its content and process by the Competition Commission of South Africa (CCSA).
A Landmark Approval for ECSA Guideline Fees
According to Dr Bridget Ssamula, Chief Executive Officer of ECSA, the CCSA’s approval is the result of over two years of advocacy, hard work, and sustained engagement with the Commission after it had formally requested ECSA to cease publication of these guidelines in 2021.
“This is a landmark achievement for ECSA and the entire engineering profession, we have worked tirelessly to rebuild trust and alignment with our regulatory partners. The gazetting of the guideline reflects our ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and deliver on our mandate to serve both the public interest and the engineering fraternity.”
Dr Bridget Ssamula, Chief Executive Officer, ECSA
As per the Engineering Profession Act (EPA), ECSA now looks forward to resuming its mandate of reviewing and issuing the Guideline of Fees on an annual basis, providing much-needed clarity and guidance for the fraternity, Dr Ssamula concluded.
What the Guideline Provides
The guideline provides a critical reference for registered engineering practitioners, outlining standard scopes of services and frameworks for calculating professional fees. Importantly, it promotes fair, transparent, and market-based competition, affirming its advisory nature rather than being prescriptive or price-fixing. It is further designed to:
- Define typical engineering services across various disciplines (Clause 3);
- Provide a flexible fee-calculation model based on project complexity, scope, and service type (Clause 4); and
- Encourage transparency and professionalism, without setting mandatory fee levels.
ECSA is confident that this milestone will empower professionals and improve service outcomes across the built environment.
Original Press Release
About ECSA
The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) is the statutory body established under the Engineering Profession Act, 46 of 2000, mandated to regulate the engineering profession in South Africa. ECSA is responsible for the accreditation of engineering programmes, the registration of engineering practitioners, and upholding professional and ethical standards across the profession.
Issued by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
ECSA Media Contact
Sybil Dlamini, Manager: Marketing and Communication
Email: sybil@ecsa.co.za | Tel: 073 623 8275
Website: www.ecsa.co.za
This article is based on an official ECSA press release. Read the original statement.
