In two letters issued to the Estate Agency Affairs Board dated 16 & 26 February 2015 NAMA expressed its concern on the implementation of the CPD programme for various reasons.
NAMA acknowledge that following the publication of the revised Estate Agency Affairs Act, 1976 [Act 112 of 1976] the Estate Agency Affairs Board may, at any time, prescribe any reasonable Continuing Professional Development.
The concerns raised on which NAMA requested clarity is as follows but not limited to:
- The compulsory fees of R2500 for principal estate agents and R2000 for non-principal estate agents have not been validated with regards to value.
- Will there be terms for the payment of the fee?
- The applicability of training (NQF 4 & 5) has been discussed at various forums over the past years without any progress in this regard.
- As Managing Agents we do not have confirmation that the CPD will add value to our profession. It is claimed that Paddocks will present training, but we have not had confirmation.
- The applicability of training (NQF 4 & 5) for Managing Agents has been discussed at various forums over the past years without any progress in this regard.
- It has been requested previously that NAMA be allowed accreditation to provide our members with CPD points.
- The ability of the EAAB to administer the progress of agents with CPD points whilst there are still outstanding annual renewal registrations.
- The non-compliance (training and registration with EAAB) of managing agents that are obviously not members of NAMA and the regulating by the EAAB thereof. We are competing in the market place with these “agents” and that is unfair.
It is the opinion of NAMA that the Estate Agency Affairs Board did not involve the role players of the industry in the rolling out which might have been much better.
NAMA will continue to engage with the Estate Agency Affairs Board and other role players in the industry. NAMA however cannot at this point in time advise its members to abstain from the payment and registration process as a compromise needs to be reached.
Coenie Groenewald
NATIONAL GENERAL MANAGER – NAMA
