I have decided not to talk about the SAIMC this month – just for a change – so here comes something new from me……
Is it not great to see the upgrading of our highways going on in Johannesburg? Finally we have some infrastructure upgrade. My brother-in-law recently moved to Chicago and when asked what the worst thing there was, his comment was the roads. Most of them are tolled (something that might start happening to us), and due to the fact that they use salt in winter to melt the ice, the pot holes are massive and plentiful. I do a lot a travelling and I must say that our roads are not that bad, even in my neighbourhood, a pot hole is normally repaired within two weeks. The road between JHB and Secunda is also getting a face lift. The Eskom crisis that loomed before winter never actually materialised and we experienced good availability, well done Eskom. I am still convinced that South Africa is the best place to live! Opportunities exist for everyone committed enough to make something work. Where else will you find friendly people like us and weather as great as ours?
Our automation industry looks alive and well, with the Gautrain, Eskom expansions, PetroSA refinery, Sasol and Africa opportunities, there is a lot of activity. In fact our outlook looks better than the European market. With all these projects and the lack of resources we face, I am still upbeat that we, as South Africans, will deliver on these. Our South African spirit performs best under pressure and we always seem to make a plan when needed.
The slow down in our activities (at least that is what we think) will start towards the end of November, in preparation for the December holidays. I am certainly looking forward to my break!
Till next time…make a conscious decision to find something positive about your situation!
SAIMC: From the office of the COO SAIMC
SAIMC
The recognition of mechatronics and computer engineering has created both an opportunity and a responsibility. Recognition means little without participation, professional registration without professional conduct, and technical knowledge without the mentorship, implementation and measurable value that industry needs.
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SAIMC
Hendrik Spies of SICK Automation Southern Africa presented at the SAIMC Johannesburg Technology Evening on 12 August 2026, covering the digital journey from condition monitoring to predictive maintenance.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban branch hosted S’yabonga Langa, systems performance engineer at eThekwini Electricity, who presented on applying substation automation to improve operational efficiency and service quality in modern power distribution networks.
Read more...SAIMC: Eastern Cape branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Eastern Cape Branch co-hosted a satellite viewing site for ICRA 2026 at Nelson Mandela University, giving postgraduate students, academics and local industry professionals access to premier international robotics and automation keynote sessions.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg Technology Evening SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg Branch July Technology Evening, hosted by WIKA Instruments, covered key level measurement technologies and featured live product demonstrations from area sales manager Anthony Terblanche.
Read more...International robotics conference streams live to Africa
SAIMC
The SAIMC hosted five live-stream viewing events across South Africa for the IEEE International Conference of Robotics and Automation in Vienna, bringing global robotics research and technology directly to local industry and academia.
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