Colleagues,

 We are again coming to the end of another year. Many of you will agree with me that 2009 was an eventful year. The global financial crisis, which started towards the end of 2007, has had a more devastating effect in our industry this year than in the previous two years, with business slowing down and more jobs being lost. Many mining houses have had to cut back on spending to remain afloat. This meant that fewer people could afford to attend many of our technical events. I am told that the Chinese ideogram for ‘crisis’ is composed of two separate characters: one means danger and the other means opportunity. The proper translation is that a crisis is a dangerous opportunity. Often the danger is more readily seen and the opportunity can be well hidden. So, while many of the businesses fell on the wayside, and others disappeared completely altogether, others found this as an opportunity to fine tune procedures and processes and transform into more efficient operations, ready for the coming boom times. We, at SAIMM saw the crisis as an opportunity too. 

We managed to re-organise ourselves and do things differently and more effectively.   

This has resulted in a number of successes.

Let me start by reviewing some of this year’s highlights in the various institute’s various departments: 

Conference Department:

• Managed 10 conferences and 1 student colloquium
• Sold over 160 books at conferences and at the year-end book sale
• Published 10 conference proceedings books with the majority of the papers being refereed
• Hosted a total of over 1800 delegates
• Secured over R 2 500 000-00 in sponsorship on events
• Managed conferences in Botswana, Cape Town, Drakensberg, Johannesburg and Zambia
• Increased membership with close to 80 new members that joined the institute at these technical events.

Membership Department:

• Improved general communication with existing members as well as giving prompt feedback on all applications and general queries made
• Boasts a database of close to 3 800 members in total and still growing
• Managed to recover +  a 100 (and  still counting) lost members over the past 6 months using our “Address Unknown” method- with the help of all our existing members, of course
• Has seen an increase in the number of Auto-Transfers tabled each month. The department has managed to track down + 20 students who have completed their studies and have entered the working world, thus continuing to provide them the service they would need in their new careers.
• Has implemented a New Agenda for all Membership Committee Meetings, which ensures faster and hassle- free assessment of new applications
• Has helped Johannesburg Branch monthly technical presentations to enjoy an increase in attendance

Publication Department:

• Has had a successful handover of the reigns, with Richard Beck retiring as consulting editor and Dave Tudor taking his place.
• Received outstanding amounts for advertising invoices compared to six months previously.
• Launched the new and revamped SAIMM website, which went live in August.  Feedback received from our committee members, members of the SAIMM and the general public has been very positive.
• Has ensured that Professor Robbie’s journal comment is now featured on our website.  Members and website-users are welcome to give feedback on these journal comments.

Accounts Department:

• Transferred approximately 3300 membership accounts from the old Access programme to Pastel.  While this presented many challenges, not least of which was the inheritance of out of date member information, the migration was successfully done and the information is being corrected and updated constantly.
• Now issue monthly statements for all debtors.  The response has again enabled the department to verify and update the database appropriately, which has also resulted in a faster collection of arrears, as the constant reminder acts as a prompter.
• Has reduced the suspense account from R800 000 at the beginning of the year to just over R30 000 by December. This has impacted positively on outstanding arrears.
• The investment portfolio has re-entered positive growth after several months of losses.

The secretariat has grown from strength to strength.  Various measures have been put in place to ensure the institute continues to be managed efficiently and professionally.  As a start, in November, all staff members went on a team-building exercise where goals and procedures were set. Most of these are already being implemented.

With all the above-mentioned, SAIMM has shown that in the time of a crisis there are several opportunities, and the future looks bright for the institute, as the industry gets ready to bounce back in 2010.  For those who focus on the positive side of life, a crisis puts things in perspective and forces individuals and organisations to bring their best resources to the table in dealing with it.  This is where the boys are separated from the men. There is an African saying that says something to the effect that “In the prosperous times, you put your hand in your pocket, but in the lean times, you put it in your heart.  That’s when you discover who you are.” This has been demonstrated by the individuals and organisations that have thrived through the current global financial crisis, when the majority struggled or even went under.   And in the words of Warren Buffet, “It’s only when the tide goes out that you see who’s swimming naked”. 

I wish you a restful festive break.  Look after yourselves and your families well this season.  And for those of you who will be on the road, please drive carefully and arrive alive. May 2010 bring you and your loved ones good health, joy and prosperity. 

May God bless you!

I thank you!

J.C. NGOMA
PRESIDENT

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