The Durban branch held its AGM on 1 February at the Durban Country Club. Vice president of the SAIMC, Rob MacKenzie, spoke to the meeting on behalf of president Oratile Sematle, who was unable to join owing to a prior commitment at another branch. Rob read out a letter from Oratile (published in I&C February), reviewed the current position of the SAIMC with respect to the Society’s relationship with ECSA, and also discussed the SAIMC’s participation at Africa Automation Fair, Connected Industries and the industry breakfast that will run at the start of Connected Industries, and which is the perfect forum to inform industry leaders about the value of the SAIMC.
Hennie Prinsloo (left) thanks Rob MacKenzie for attending the AGM.
Prof. Ralph Naidoo (right) was awarded the prize of a 1 Tb external hard drive for achieving the best attendance record at the branch technology meetings during 2016.
Once again the election of the committee was conducted via online voting, and, in accordance with the SAIMC Constitution, seven members were required for a branch with less than 200 members. The following were duly voted onto the 2017 committee and the office bearers were determined at the first committee meeting: Hennie Prinsloo (chairman), Busani Sibindi (vice chairman), Kevin McElroy (treasurer), Dean Trattles (secretary), Jane van der Spuy, Howard Lister and Ralph Naidoo.
The new committee (left to right): Dean Trattles, Howard Lister, Jane van der Spuy, Kevin McElroy, Busani Sibindi, Ralph Naidoo and Hennie Prinsloo.
Following the successful practice of the past three years, the Durban branch will be co-opting Maclean Mguti, John Owen-Ellis and Mark Calvert to the committee.
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