Weldon Broughton Engineering

05/09/2026

20/08/2026

05/08/2026

July 2026 has gone down as the driest July on record for several areas of the south-western Western Cape, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS). Here's why:

02/08/2026

02/08/2026

30/07/2026

Why are we still struggling with this?

I served my apprenticeship using both the imperial and metric systems. Forty years later, I can still work comfortably in either. It’s really not that difficult once you understand the basics.

What I can’t understand is why so many young people coming out of school and college seem unable to read an imperial tape measure or convert between imperial and metric. Surely, if you’re going into engineering, construction, mechanics or any trade, you should be able to work with both systems.

The rest of the world has largely adopted the metric system, yet imperial measurements are still everywhere—in older machinery, vehicles, tools and technical drawings. Ignoring one system limits your ability.

To me, a good tradesperson should be comfortable with both. It’s part of the job.

What’s your view? Should apprentices and colleges be teaching both systems properly, or is it finally time to leave imperial behind?