The short answer is that only an Installation Electrician or Master Installation Electrician may issue a certificate of compliance (COC) for a solar system.
According to OHS 3/1/5/7/9 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 there are three types of electricians in South Africa. They are:

1.Single Phase Electricians (ETSP);
2.Installation Electricians (IE); and
3.Master Installation Electricians (MIE).

A ETSP may only install a solar system under the “general control” of an IE or MIE with a valid wireman’s license. An ETSP may also not issue a compliance certificate for a solar installation unless he has completed a trade test and completed the required unit standards on inspection, testing and certificate of a single-phase domestic installation. It is important to note that an ETSP may, after completing the above trade test, inspection and test still only issue a compliance certificate for a single-phase solar system.

Both an IE and MIE may install a solar system and also issue a compliance certificate for the same. They are also the electricians who supervise an ETSP to ensure that the ETSP electrician has performed the solar installation in accordance with the applicable electrical and SAN standards.
A solar system not installed by a registered electrician will be regarded as “illegal”.

So how does one know if an electrician is an ETSP, IE or MIE? To be a Registered Electrical Contractor one must be registered with the Department of Labour and the Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry. We therefore advise you, before appointing an electrician, request the electrician’s registration certificate or card.
The certificate or card will confirm the type of registration the electrician holds and from this you can confirm whether he or she is permitted to install a solar installation or whether he or she is permitted to both install the solar and issue a COC for the same.