Covid-19, vaccination and 5G are both culprits when it comes to the subject of rumours, false information and scare-mongering. I will not be talking about Covid as this is a highly controversial subject. It reminds me of a person who once said that he knows absolutely nothing about politics, but that does not prevent him from having a strong opinion.
Now back to 5G. Claims have been made about a link between 5G and Covid-19. This comes not only from countries where the education systems are known to be ‘not so up- to-date’, but from countries such as the UK and the Netherlands as well.
The ICNIRP Guidelines on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields are for the protection of humans exposed to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields in the range 100 kHz to 300 GHz. The guidelines cover many applications such as 5G technologies, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile phones and base stations. These supersede the 100 kHz to 300 GHz part of the ICNIRP (1998) RF guidelines, as well as the 100 kHz to 10 MHz part of the ICNIRP (2010) low-frequency guidelines.
It is important to note that these guidelines are based on the best science currently available and will be reviewed from time to time as new information becomes available. It is also worth noting that the medical field has largely been excluded as qualified medical practitioners have to weigh up the pros and cons of using electromagnetic-based treatments, as these can indirectly cause harm by interfering with implantable medical devices (see ISO 2012).
Therefore, people can rest assured that there are specialists studying the impact of 5G and beyond on humans and the environment. The consensus is that while companies adhere to these guidelines, these electromagnetic fields are safe.
But are they really 100% safe? There is no conclusive evidence either way, but that does not mean that 5G causes Covid-19.
Each one of us needs to ensure that the messages we forward come from a reliable source and not from ‘a boetie’ who has personally read it in a WhatsApp message sent by a masked rumour-monger.
ECSA registration
Time is running out for those who are doing engineering-type work (technicians, technologists and engineers) and whose surnames begin with the letters A-K – you only have next year to register. If you have not started your paperwork yet, chances are you might not finish in time for this first batch. You will then have to wait until all others have registered and work under the supervision of a registered person while you wait your turn.
SAIMC: From the office of the CEO: Understanding the Engineering Profession Act SAIMC
SAIMC
For a full and detailed explanation of whether you are doing engineering work, I recommend visiting the ECSA website and looking up the IoEW Gazette. Meanwhile, here’s a simplified breakdown to get you started and hopefully encourage you to explore further.
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The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
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The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
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In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
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As users recognise the benefits of a digital transformation strategy for their industrial plants and systems and start to adopt it, they soon face the challenge of getting operational technology data securely and reliably to a cloud service provider of their choice.
Read more...SAIMC training at AATF 2025 empowers engineers to register, comply and advance SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
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The Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Computer Engineering (SAIMC) will deliver a powerful series of training sessions and technical workshops during the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) 2025, providing engineers, technologists and technicians with the tools they need to register professionally, stay compliant, and lead industrial innovation.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
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The SAIMC Johannesburg March technology event was hosted by Comtest, the Fluke agent in southern Africa. The topic was Renewable Energy Resources.