March 2016
Contents
- President’s message
- Membership matters
- Fees
- Categories and keeping up to date
- Congrats new Life Long Members
- SABI magazine updates
- SABI Training’s new courses
- Advertise jobs on SABI website
- SABI Learner Awards event
President’s Message
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SABI Council 2016/2017 sat for our first meeting recently in the Western Cape. And, SABI Council for the 2016/2017 term, looks to be an exciting mix of youth and experience. Getting to know the new members at the first Council meeting in early February, was indeed a privilege, and judging by first impressions, SABI will continue to be in good hands over the next two years. Our Institute continues to break new ground, with two exciting developments being worked on at present. Firstly the incorporation of the LIA into SABI, which is long overdue and can only lead to an even stronger irrigation body, which represents the entire industry from residential gardens through to the largest agricultural projects. |
Secondly, the registration of the SABI Approved Designer status as a professional designation with the relevant authority. This should have a positive influence on the viability of an irrigation designer as a career choice for a whole new generation of school leavers, as well as an encouragement to the existing members who have not as yet attained approved designer status. Lastly, let us all try and make an effort to secure more training opportunities for our TEO and her team, who are doing such a fantastic job. Do take every opportunity to spread the word and let’s continue to grow this extremely important facet of SABI. |
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Membership matters
Fees
- Please note that the SABI membership invoices were sent out to all members in February. Please call the SABI office on 021 850 8220 should you have any queries.
- Paid-up members will receive a Certificate of Verification to prove that they are paid-up members for the year.
- Please note that members who have not paid their 2015 membership fees are no longer SABI members.
Categories and keeping up to date
- We would like to ask you: have a look at your membership status please. If you think you must upgrade your membership category, please contact Riana on riana@sabi.co.za.
- We appeal to members to attend at least one branch meeting a year. Please do attend, keep in touch and participate in all there is SABI offers you as this ensures you remain an active member of the Institute.
- Renewal of membership for SABI Approved Designers. Remember that it is important to accumulate points to maintain your SABI Approved Designer status. There are several Approved Designer Members who did not accumulate the required 5 points during last the two year term.
Congratulations Life-long members
The two new Life-long members have been ratified. Congratulations to the two gentlemen, Peter and Tony, on attaining this status.
Peter Cherry a pioneer of SABI, whose participation in the irrigation sector started in 1969, was a SABI member right from the start of the Institute. Peter is a consistently loyal and active member, and was one of the first group of 7 people to pass the SNE.
Tony Williams was also involved with SABI from the outset, attending the first meeting in Kempton Park of the committee and “founding fathers” in Gauteng, where he worked for Agriplas, and has been a long supporter of SABI.
SABI Magazine
SABI Magazine April May 2016 edition focuses on Centre Pivots and Moving Systems, Pipes, Welding, Irrigating in Africa, Sustainability and much more. SABI magazine is the official journal of SABI – it is our magazine, so please make full use of this vehicle to advertise your product and service or tell your story. If you have a story (long or short) about the themes or some business news, please don’t hesitate to be in touch. Contact riana@sabi.co.za to book adverts and carol@sabi.co.za with editorial contributions. |
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SABI Training
Be sure to check out the new Landscape Training SABI Training has launched this year – the brochure is on the SABI website for your perusal. Make sure you book your training timeously. Contact info@sabi.co.za for more information or phone the SABI office on 021 850 8220, between 9-4 week days.
SABI WEBSITE
WWW.SABI.COZA
Visit your SABI website, it’s your window into irrigation opportunities.
Increasingly recruitment consultants are using the SABI website to advertise job opportunities in irrigation. Also consider using the website for your job advertisements – this has proved successful for several companies seeking irrigation talent.
BRANCH MEETINGS
- Eastern Cape - 17 March, 23 June, 13 October
- Gauteng - 3 March, 9 June, 27 October
- KwaZulu-Natal - 10 March, 26 May, 15 September
- Limpopo - 16 March, 8 June, 13 October
- Mpumalanga - 17 March, 8 June, 13 October
- Oranje - 17 March, 23 June, 20 October
- Western Cape - 10 March, 9 June, 15 September
SABI LEARNER AWARDS
Top students from schools irrigation course
Growing essential skills for the future
In announcing the top achieving students on SABI’s Schools’ Irrigation Course – Matthys Mouton from Augsburg Landbou Gimnasium, Lian van Wyk from Boland Agricultural School and Franco van der Mescht from Oakdale Agricultural School – SABI technical executive officer Isobel van der Stoep said growing skills from schools level in water use efficiency is vital in South Africa. The learners and their parents were delighted to receive their special Awards at an event at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West recently.
The overall leading student for the year was Matthys Mouton, who took home the top accolade, with winning trophies sponsored by Lindsay and Wilo pumps. The students had completed the SABI Irrigation Course last year, which was attended by a total of 113 learners from Oakdale Agricultural School, Riversdale; Boland Agricultural School, Paarl and Augsburg Landbougimnasium, Clanwilliam.
SABI President Tony Ewels congratulated the learners in his speech, saying that Nelson Mandela had so rightly and famously commented that “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”, SABI was thrilled to be involved in initiatives that “had the power to change the world” and to grow skills and interest in education.
Said Isobel: “We would like to congratulate our top students, who excelled on the course. Knowledge of optimal irrigation and water saving technologies is not only a good course for agricultural students, however. We need to build technical skills in our country, irrigation, for one, already faces a very serious skills shortage. We hope more students in high school will look at irrigation as a career option.”
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| Sonja Hattingh (Wilo), Tony Ewels, Gustvav Tomlinson, Annemarie v/d Westhuizen | Sonja Hattingh (Wilo) Tony Ewels, Lian van Wyk, Annemarie v/d Westhuizen |
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Sonja Hattingh (Wilo), Tony Ewels, Matthys Mouton, Annemarie v/d Westhuizen |
Vernon Muller, Matthys Mouton, Tony Ewels | ||||||||||||
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Backed by Western Cape DOA
The schools programme includes basic foundations on various irrigation technologies as well as irrigation scheduling and system evaluation topics. While SABI self-funded the schools initiative from 2011, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture has assisted with the funding from 2014. The prices for the top learners were sponsored by industry partners, Lindsay and Wilo pumps.
André Roux, director: sustainable resource management for the Western Cape’s Agricultural department, speaking at the event, complimented the learners on their achievements, and said the Western Cape was proud to be associated with the Award. It is a constructive way of growing the skills and mindsets that will one day hopefully grow in the irrigation sector, faced by challenges of climate change and water scarcity in our semi-arid country.
“SABI is an important Institute as SABI helps to ensure that technical people are trained in irrigation and the technologies thereof. That is why we sponsored the initiative as it encourages the generation of the future to explore irrigation as a career from school level, which is vital,” he said.