There is a serious threat emerging within the Skin Care / Beauty Sector of South Africa.

The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) is threatening to shut down and take-over certain sectors within the South African Beauty Sector. Should the AHPCSA succeed in their endeavours, many professionals will then be forced to register with the AHPCSA or face the reality that they might not be able to earn a living doing what they have studied to do.

A call from Dr Ivor Blumenthal to
fight this attack by the AHPCSA
has been voiced on the
SOBS – Save Our Beauty Sector Facebook page. 

Dr Ivor Blumenthal writes:
‘Thank you to those Employers who have indicated their willingness to meet & talk about something strong, new & clever for the Beauty, Nail & Cosmetology Sector for South Africa. A reminder that the call is for Employers who own/operate Businesses in the Sector, to come together to discuss & agree on a strategy for the future.

Remember that the majority of the Sector are SME's. Even if you own/operate as a Franchisee, we want to talk to you as much as we want to talk to the Franchisor. Your Sector is potentially one of the largest collective of SME Owner/Operators in the country and therefore needs a unique voice, where the smallest operator cannot be drowned out by the voices of the large Multi-Nationals who very seldom have your interests at heart.

What we are trying to do here is build a strong collective of Employer Owner/Operators and Investors who are affected by the lack of clarity, direction and purpose of current leadership within the Sector and a very strong presence of monopolies driving the Independent Operators into the ground with their collusive practices. Please simply reply to this message with your email address & I will be in touch.’

Dr Blumenthal further added

‘There are multiple brands of Professional Training and recognition in Beauty in SA. None of those brands should dominate. Even if they have International affiliations. It’s a little like Nike or Adidas owning soccer clubs. An absolute CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

The intention - make our training brand the generic in the sector. Only a neutral Employer Association, with no obvious links to any training brand, local or International should be able to recognise Professional Competency. Employers who fund the businesses and take all of the risks. Not the Trade Unions, not the Bargaining Councils and certainly not the Training Providers who only want to sell training.  That is what true Professionalisation of an Industry looks like.

Employers taking charge and putting in the necessary infrastructure to govern Training Providers, Suppliers and Distributors.  Not vested interests from one training or cosmetic brand lauding it over another. Otherwise the brand with the largest footprint dominates the sector and dominates Employers and makes a mockery of Employer Control.

The Training, Publishing, Supplier tail's wagging the Employer dog. Its that kind of petty politicking and greed that can ruin an Industries credibility and make it easy pickings for the AHPC and other hyena organisations wanting to make themselves indispensable to what is a glorious and deserving group of very professional practitioners.’

 For further information and to voice your support, please like and follow the SOBS – Save Our Beauty Sector Facebook page.

Article supplied by DermaFix - www.dermafix.co.za