The branch held its annual dinner at the Greyville Race Course on Saturday 19 November 2016. The only bets on the cards were that it was going to be a sure-fire success – and it was. With 230 seats sold within a matter of weeks, people were keen to come and unwind from a busy year with good company, food and entertainment, and the night delivered it all. Gathering in the foyer for welcome drinks before going through to the stylishly decorated dining hall, there was a buzz of excited chatter and the clinking of glasses as guests saluted each other and the evening ahead.
MC Mark Calvert delivered his usual slick introduction, thanking the sponsors and going through the formalities of the evening before introducing chairman Hennie Prinsloo, who welcomed everybody and thanked them for attending and the committee for their hard work during the year. Special mention and thanks were given to Jane van der Spuy for her valued contributions to the SAIMC Durban branch, and to John Owen Ellis for his years of contribution and dedication and who will be retiring from the branch committee next year. As Hennie said – John will be sorely missed. Next up was a five minute video highlighting the Durban branch activities for 2016: technology meetings, site visits, exhibiting at UNESCO, a golf day, visiting two schools in the Flagstaff area, our own patron exhibition – all culminating in an annual dinner with entertainment by Barry Hilton.
President Oratile Sematle gave a brief address, stressing that although it’s been a busy and successful year for the SAIMC there was still a lot of work to do – particularly on the 10th discipline initiative. He also mentioned that the SAIMC will now be involved in ECSA boards for the registration of engineering professionals and he placed specific emphasis on the SAIMC’s commitment to supporting C&I in tertiary educational establishments. With an already established control laboratory in Pretoria, and with a commitment of R600 000 towards a C&I laboratory at the University of Johannesburg, this bodes well for the SAIMC’s aim of extending support to other Universities in future. He gave thanks to the women in the industry: Ina Maartens, who has become a wonderful mother figure along with being a great business support; Jane van der Spuy, for the unfaltering support of SA Instrumentation & Control; and Hanli Goncalves and Nadine Butler, for their partnership on the gala dinner and AAF.
The golden oldie Barry Hilton had everybody in stitches with his 45 minute routine and the audience was literally wiping away tears of laughter.
A thanks to the sponsors, without whom this evening would not have been possible: Pulse Control Systems; Loadtech Loadcells; Engen; Siemens; Beckhoff Automation; Industrial Control & Automation; Endress+Hauser; Illovo; Tekmation; SA Instrumentation & Control; Honeywell; Specialised Analytical Services; Metso; IFM; Aveng ACS Yokogawa; Tongaat Hulett and Proconics.
In closing, Hennie paid tribute to the branch patrons, and those who were present were awarded certificates of recognition for their contribution to the Durban branch and the C&I industry as a whole.
AGM
The AGM will be held at the Durban Country Club on 1 February 2017.
| Tel: | +27 11 312 2445 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.saimc.co.za |
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