SAIMC


SAIMC: From the president's desk

March 2012 SAIMC

2012 is a year of great beginnings for the SAIMC. Firstly, I would like to congratulate the new branch committee members and thank them for their willingness to serve. I would also like to thank last year’s committees for their valuable contributions and excellent leadership.

Johan Maartens
Johan Maartens

We have just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Automation Federation making us part of a worldwide automation group. The interesting thing is that they have also been working on bringing school children into our industry, as we are trying to do. As part of the strategy for improved delivery this year, the following committees were established at the first council meeting:

1. Training and development (incl. Grant Awards committee) Chairman: Solly Mabitsela

Members: Johan van Jaarsveldt, Nico Marneweck, Kevin McElroy, Selvan Murugan

Activities to report: Schneider award, Negretti award, bursary, list of training institutions, training schedule for publication.

2. Finance committee – not for publication on public forums

Chairman: honorary treasurer

Members: Johan van Jaarsveldt, administrator

Activities to Report: financial figures for the AGM.

3. Public relations and project co-ordination committee

Chairman: vice president

Branding committee is now called the PR committee

Activities to report: Branding progress.

4. Branch award committee (on LinkedIn and SAIMC forum)

Chairman: president (or general secretary)

Members: branch secretaries

Activities to report: branch scores.

5. Innovations committee

Chairman: vice president

Members: branch chairmen to nominate

Activities to report: 2012 goals, branding, membership value, website, bursary scheme, education and training.

Council election

It is that time of the year again. Just to make things clear, these are some rules that need to be followed:

1. Vice president takes over from president when the president steps down.

2. Council shall elect a new vice president at the last council meeting of the year out of the members serving on council.

3. New members can be elected by postal vote if necessary.

4. Current office bearers: Johan Maartens, Johan van Jaarsveldt and Debbie Scott.

President, vice president and immediate past president, normally hold office for one year.

Vivian MacFadyen and Peter Zietsman

Treasurer and secretary hold office for two years or more.

5. Ordinary members: Vinesh Maharaj, Johan Grobler

Each year three ordinary members shall retire, ordinary members hold office for two years, send nominations out by post 30 days before AGM, nominations received up to seven days before AGM.

6. Branch chairmen: Ex officio members.

7. Retired council members: should wait two years before being elected on council again.

8. Voluntary association requirements: at least 50% of council must be registered with ECSA.

This last requirement can severely limit the choices of members being elected to council. If the branch chairmen are not registered with ECSA, it means that we need to make up for that by limiting council members to those registered with ECSA until the 50% target is achieved.

I would like to thank the current council for a wonderful job and appeal to all our members to nominate people to serve you at council level.



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