SAMBRA message to stakeholders
A message from SAMBRA as a service to to all stakeholders
Dear Stakeholder,
The South African Motor Body Repairer’s Association [SAMBRA], is the longest standing Motor Body Repair Industry Association in South Africa, affiliated to the Retail Motor Industry Organisation [RMI], representing the majority of Motor Body Repairers.
SAMBRA is also the first Motor Body Repairer’s Association to introduce industry standards in the form of grading our members, to ensure that accident damaged vehicles are repaired to original motor manufacturer specifications, to ensure quality and safety. Therefore, all SAMBRA members undergo an annual grading process, which identifies them as either Structural (SR) or Non-Structural (NSR) Repairers. The Scope of Work, is a guideline for members to undertake repairs for which they do have the required equipment and expertise. The SAMBRA grading does not equal automatic Manufacturer (OEM) approval/s, applications for Manufacturer approvals must be conducted separately. The evolution of motor vehicles necessitates SAMBRA to upgrade its grading criteria all the time, to keep pace with new technology, at a great cost to its members.
Further to this, Motor Manufacturers embarked on an OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] programme to accredit members that meet the necessary criteria to repair their vehicle to the original manufacturer specifications. SAMBRA members embraced this programme to ensure that good quality repairs and safety measures are adhered to in the repair process.
A national minimum grading criteria, based on the SAMBRA grading criteria, has also been accepted by Industry, i.e. Insurers and MBRs, as the minimum entry and will soon be implemented by Insurers.
Furthermore, SAMBRA’s grading criteria ensures that Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), as well as Social Responsibility criteria [MIBCO] are met by members to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees.
SAMBRA ensures that members meet corporate governance criteria to ensure accountability and good business practices that upholds legislation. SAMBRA members are subjected to a RMI Code of Conduct and a SAMBRA Code of Ethics [see attached example] that protects the consumer to a large extent. SAMBRA educate its members on the Consumer Protection Act [CPA] to ensure customer protection. SAMBRA members subscribe to a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), administered by independent service providers, to ensure credibility in its survey to determine customer satisfaction.
Against this background, SAMBRA would like to remind all parties of the risk they run when repairing client’s vehicles outside of such an environment. Standards and Accountability are key to ensure a safe repair to a vehicle. In the interest of road safety and retaining the warranty, it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that the repairers of their products adhere to the necessary repair processes. For vehicles in warranty, it is imperative to establish whether the repairer has the necessary accreditation to effect the repairs as prescribed by OEM specifications.
For vehicles out of warranty, verifying the SAMBRA Grading Certification, which will indicate either SR [Structural Repairer] or NSR [Non Structural Repairer], will ensure that the vehicle is repaired in a panel shop that is equipped and accredited to carry out the scope of repair as required [please see attached examples of our SR and NSR grading certificates and be sure to request valid versions thereof from our members].
As we are well aware that many vehicles are repaired outside of a controlled environment, such as the one provided by SAMBRA, we would like to caution all Stakeholders, to ensure they advise their customers appropriately to ensure their best interest is served.
Our list of repairers is available on our website at www.sambra.biz for your convenience. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. SAMBRA's operational capabilities are coordinated through a collaboration between the head office in Cape Town and the five SAMBRA regional managers who ensure that all members' needs throughout South Africa are met, as follows:
SAMBRA Regional Management
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Pretoria Cell: 071 872 0511 E-Mail: nolan.noah@rmi.org.za |
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RMI Offices Bloemfontein Cell: 081 036 8954 E-Mail: abie.kriek@rmi.org.za |
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Port Elizabeth Cell: 081 036 8954 E-Mail: abie.kriek@rmi.org.za |
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Randburg Cell: 082 932 0468 E-Mail: raoul.spinola@rmi.org.za |
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RMI Offices Durban Cell: 082 372 6531 E-Mail: Piet.Marais@rmi.org.za |
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Cape Town Regional Manager: Randall Langenhoven Cell: 082 933 1582 |
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I trust that you will find this information useful, for more information please feel free to pay our Facebook page a visit: https://www.facebook.com/officialsambra
Kind regards,
Edwin Martin | National Director: SAMBRA (Retail Motor Industry Organisation)
Tel: +27 (0) 21 939-9440 | Cell: 082 560 6628 | Website: http://www.sambra.biz
Physical Address: RMI House, 19 Picton Street, Parow, 7500
Postal address: PO Box 755, Parow, 7499
Posted on Jul 27, 2023 by Panel Beater Directory
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