In the Spotlight – Prince Dlamini

05 December 2017

IN OUR SERIES OF PROFILES ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WELDING/ NDT INDUSTRY AND THE SAIW, WE TALK TO PRINCE DLAMINI, A CHIEF ENGINEER (METALLURGY) AT ESKOM. BORN IN 1983 NEAR PIET RETIEF IN MPUMULANGA, PRINCE ATTAINED HIS SENIOR CERTIFICATE IN 2000 AT NDLELA HIGH SCHOOL AND COMPLETED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN METALLURGY AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING (BSC (ENG.) METALLURGY & MATERIALS) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG, IN 2004. HE JOINED ESKOM IN 2010 AS A JUNIOR ENGINEER AND WORKED HIS WAY UP TO HIS CURRENT POSITION IN WHICH HE HAS BEEN SINCE 2015. PRINCE IS MARRIED TO “WONDERFUL AND GORGEOUS” ELIZA DLAMINI, AND THEY HAVE THREE SONS WILL, MASON AND ENZO.

F: Tell us about your career at Eskom

PD: In my early days at Eskom, I was a metallurgical site representative for some of Eskom’s power plants. My duties involved supporting power station initiatives on reducing and preventing boiler tube failures, conducting life assessment studies on safety-critical components and conducting metallurgical failure investigations on various power plant components. Towards the end of 2012, my focus shifted to providing full-time materials and welding metallurgy support to Eskom’s new-build power plants, at a time when serious challenges and problems were just coming to light. Since then, I have contributed to the resolution of some of the most challenging and vexing problems arising mostly during fabrication and erection of power plant components.

Today, I continue providing the necessary technical oversight relating to materials, welding and non-destructive testing. I am also a member of technical committees within Eskom that are
responsible for the development of standards and technology management.

F: When did you get involved with the SAIW

PD: I became involved with the SAIW in 2015 when I was nominated to serve on the ANBCC and the Welding Fabrication and Technology Boards.

F: What do you think of the standard of welding and NDT in S.A.

PD: Great strides have been made in recent years in improving the quality of welding and NDT, but there is still ample room for improvement. Eskom recently hosted its second annual Welding
Seminar, and one of the highlights of these seminars was the recognition of welders who have completed high-quality welds for pressure-part components with the lowest weld repair rates.
The achievements by some of the young welders who have gone through the SAIW International Institute of Welding (IIW) welder training programs have been impressive and show what can
be achieved with bold investment in welder training. The SAIW is well-placed (as the IIW Approved Training Body) to continue playing the leading role in this area well into the future.

F: What are the prospects for the welding and related industries in this country

PD: The joining of materials by welding is and will continue to be an indispensable technology for many industrial sectors in South Africa. Welding is essential, not just during the fabrication
of new equipment and structures, but also for the repair and rehabilitation of existing ones. For this reason alone, the future of welding and related industries is on firm foundations. The key  lies in the continued development of skills at all levels, from welders to welding inspectors, welding technologists and engineers, in order to have a critical skills mass that will continue to innovate and improve on existing technologies.

F: What is the effect of SA’s economy on welding in general

PD: The South African economy remains in dire straits. This has put a lot of pressure on the manufacturing sector, which continues to suffer contractions in production, and business in general. The macroeconomic challenges will, to some extent, have a negative impact on the welding and related industries, especially in relation to cut backs by companies on investment in new projects. However, even under the prevailing unfavorable climate, there are still opportunities (such as repairs and refurbishments that often become necessary during the maintenance of existing equipment and structures) that enable the welding and allied industries to weather these difficult times.

Thank You