The first meeting of the association took place on 12 September 1956 in Johannesburg in the Barclay Bank building which stood on the corner of Commissioner and Market Streets.
[3] As a result of World War II, the cheapness of concrete enabled it to encroach upon work which until previously had been the domain of the steel industry.
According to SASFA records, there are already 33 companies manufacturing light steel frames on profiling facilities in South Africa.
The Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC]) hosted a breakfast function in launching the Power Line Association of SA on the day.
[5] Mr Gray Whalley, MD of Babcock Ntuthuko Powerlines is the first Chairman of the Association and he made a short presentation on the state of the industry and challenges that need to be faced.
Professionals and developers were becoming increasingly concerned with the integrity of the industry both from the manufacturing and installation point of view.
In October 2012 a group of concerned individuals called a meeting of the major players which included representatives from the producer mills, manufactures, installers, suppliers of ancillary items, professionals and other interested parties.
The five structural companies were in Australia in a meeting bidding for one tender in Israel and they decided to form a partnership called International Steel Fabricators (ISF).
[12] The SAISC School of Draughting was launched in September 2007, and Howard Fox was appointed as draughtsperson to conduct the training.
[12] The Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) set in motion the initiative to begin a specialist school.
The process began by developing a course outline which, after 18 months of negotiation, was certified by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA).
To complete the process, the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) required that course material be developed.
[12] The SAISC School of Draughting offers the Diploma, Learnerships, Skill programmes and Shortage course on a full-time and part-time bases to companies and private individuals, for the whole of South African Steelwork Industry, and has a capacity for 25 trainees.
It is a non profit, Section 21 Company with a board of directors, with members from the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC), DSE as well as an executive committee.