Candidate Requirements

1. Background and Motivation

The Rustenburg facility, as a strategically important operation within the EPOL group, requires a suitably qualified and legally appointed engineering professional to ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) of South Africa, while simultaneously driving maintenance effectiveness, newly operational reporting accuracy, and disciplined project execution.

This proposal motivates for the appointment of a mid-level Mechanical Engineer who will be formally appointed as GMR 2.1, in accordance with the OHSA, to strengthen legal compliance, improve engineering governance, and support operational excellence across the group.

2. Purpose of the Role

The primary purpose of this role is to provide competent engineering leadership at the Rustenburg facility while supporting selected group operations through standardized maintenance reporting, project management, and technical governance. The appointment will ensure that EPOL meets its statutory obligations under the OHSA while improving the reliability, availability, and lifecycle management of mechanical assets.

3. Statutory Requirement – GMR 2.1 Appointment

In terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, a GMR 2.1 appointee is required to take responsibility for the engineering aspects of machinery, plant, and systems to ensure safe design, operation, maintenance, and modification.

4. Minimum Qualifications and Experience

To ensure competence and legal compliance, the following minimum requirements are proposed:

Qualification:

• BTech Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent (or higher)

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years relevant mechanical engineering experience, preferably within an industrial, manufacturing, or processing environment


• Proven exposure to maintenance systems, asset management, and plant operations


• Experience with CMMS platforms (Pragma preferred)


• Practical understanding of South African OHSA requirements related to machinery and engineering

Additional Skills:

• Strong technical and analytical ability


• Project coordination and stakeholder management skills


• Working knowledge of CAD systems and engineering documentation


• Willingness and ability to travel between sites

5. Key Responsibilities

The proposed role will include, but not be limited to, the following responsibilities:

5.1 Engineering and Legal Compliance

• Act as the appointed GMR 2.1 for the Rustenburg facility


• Ensure compliance with the OHSA, relevant regulations, and applicable engineering standards


• Review, approve, and manage mechanical modifications and changes to plant and equipment


• Support risk assessments, incident investigations, and corrective actions related to mechanical systems

5.2 Maintenance and Operational Reporting (Pragma CMMS) for Epol group

• Own and manage mechanical maintenance reporting through Pragma CMMS


• Ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency of asset data, work orders, and failure reporting


• Analyse maintenance trends and KPIs to support improved reliability and cost control


• Drive discipline in planned and preventative maintenance practices

5.3 Project Management Support

• Manage and support selected mechanical and infrastructure projects across the EPOL group


• Assist with project scoping, technical evaluations, contractor coordination, and execution oversight


• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget


• Support phased refurbishment and upgrade initiatives aligned with group CAPEX strategies

5.4 CAD Drawings and Technical Documentation

• Manage, review, and control mechanical CAD drawings and technical documentation


• Ensure drawings are updated to reflect as-built conditions


• Implement proper document control and reporting of drawing status


• Support standardisation of drawings across sites where applicable

5.5 Cross-Site Support and Travel

• Travel between EPOL sites as required to support audits, projects, breakdown analysis, and standardisation initiatives


• Provide technical support and engineering guidance to site teams when needed

6. Location and Reporting Structure

• Base Location: EPOL Rustenburg Facility


• The role will primarily be based at Rustenburg, ensuring strong on-site engineering leadership


• Functional interaction with group engineering, maintenance, and operations teams will be required

7. Value to EPOL

The appointment of this role will deliver the following benefits to EPOL:

• Strengthened statutory compliance and reduced legal and operational risk


• Improved mechanical asset reliability and maintenance effectiveness


• Better quality and consistency of operational and maintenance reporting


• Enhanced project execution capability across the group


• Improved control and accuracy of engineering drawings and documentation


• Reduced reliance on external engineering resources over time