BOGUS / UNREGISTERED ENGINEERING PRACTITIONERS

The Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ) has lately observed that a number of unsuspecting clients and firms have engaged unregistered individual engineering practitioners and or Engineering Consulting Companies  to undertake varied  types of engineering work or services.

Employing or contracting unregistered or unlicensed engineering firms or individuals as Consultants, Contractors or Engineers, Technologists and Technicians is in contravention of the law.  In terms of the Engineering Council Act (Chapter27:22) Part IV, read together with Statutory Instrument 153 of 2012, Part III, Sections 6-8, “no person or firm shall practice as an Engineering Practitioner or Engineering Consulting Firm without being registered by ECZ and issued with a practising certificate for the applicable discipline of engineering . 

Further to this, the said Act, Part VI, section 33 (3) states that “Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) or engages or knowingly accepts the services of a person who contravenes subsections (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level eight or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both such fine and such imprisonment”.  Employers, clients and the public should take note and be advised accordingly.

Engineering Practitioners (individuals and firms) operate on the basis of registration and annual practising certificates issued by ECZ on condition that the practitioners meets the academic, technical and qualification requirements for each category of registration.  Renewal of the practising certificate takes place annually before the start of the following calendar year. 

The Engineering Council maintains a register of compliant Engineering Practitioners which can be accessed by the public from our website www.ecz.co.zw.  The public can also check with our offices or on our email, engineering.co.zw or call +263 784 971 028.

It is also advisable to request the current ECZ practicing certificate from those you want to engage or employ before signing the contract.

Issued in the public interest by ECZ