A Gore man has been convicted and fined $1000 for falsely advertising his services as a plumber.
Gustav van Zyl appeared before Judge Jonathan Moses in the Gore District Court last week on two charges of false advertising and was ordered to pay court costs of $138 and a solicitor's fee of $113, as well as the fine.
The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board brought the prosecution and said Van Zyl falsely represented his trade status when he advertised his services as a plumber in a newspaper and in a sign on his vehicle.
He was not registered, licensed or otherwise authorised by the board to carry out sanitary plumbing work.
The board's chief executive, Max Pedersen, said plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying were regulated industries in this country and it was illegal for anyone to do the work unless they were authorised by the board.
''There are serious health and safety risks associated with sanitary plumbing carried out by an unauthorised person,'' Mr Pedersen said in a statement yesterday.
''Any defective plumbing work has the potential to cause disease and serious damage to the home.''
All authorised tradespeople were required to carry their current authorisation card and consumers were urged to ask to view the card, ''... so they can be assured that the work is being done by an authorised and competent tradesperson'', he said.
If home owners or building inspectors believed work had been done by an unauthorised person or had concerns about the competency of tradespeople, they could make a complaint to the board.
The board registered plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers and issued practising licences or exemptions.
Van Zyl has held an authorisation to do plumbing under supervision since July this year, the board said.
In their first year of holding an authorisation to do work under supervision, plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers must carry out their work in the presence of a certifying supervisor.
The supervisors ensured work was performed competently, was carried out using appropriate safety measures and complied with the relevant legislation.
