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Home > About WISA > Reports & Minutes > WISA President's Report 2002

PRESIDENTS REPORT MAY 2002 - MAY 2003

Another very exciting and busy year has passed and what did not take place during this year is history, but what is important is that we never stop dreaming but build on the future of our Country and more specific WISA and all its activities.  New things bring new challenges and new challenges lead to new opportunities. 

During the past year :

Myself and the CEO, Willie Lötz had the opportunity to visit the different Branches in the different provinces, and once you tour the Country you only realize the involvement of WISA and its activities.  You meet different people and you change your own mindset to broaden the ideas around what does the Members want out of an Association like WISA. 

You tend to think so broad, because you realize the "capacity of knowledge", which professionalism exists by putting the pieces of this puzzle together it forms a professional body with a lot of potential to the benefit of its members.  

Our monthly meetings was again very well organised and attended, the topics were relevant and the venues in reach for most of the members. 

(We would like to get our Patron Members more involve in the evening meetings, where they make use of the opportunities to offer to do the evening programme). 

Our Branches did offer excellent programmes for members throughout the country and the Divisions also dealt with the wide range of activities to make the Water Technology a living Technology. 

As in the past the Council and the Members of the Board of Directors spend long hours on a total volunteerism basis to keep the wheel turning.  I would like to thank each of them for the excellent work they do, and also for their continuous support during the past year. 

We normally find that these people who are very involve in the activities of WISA are also those ones who are distinguished business people with a very busy business programme. 

During the past year a few new thoughts came to mind and we as a Council and BOD were involve in a lot of new strategic issues which plays a very important role in the long term growth and of representation we want to offer our Members.  

The restructuring of our Member Categories took place and need further changes.  The special effort to involve our younger scientists and students with a category of free membership and then the very important step to make sure that we can secure our retired members who maintain and structured WISA the past decade. 

Very important discussions took place during the year, some include the presentations at the Parliamentary Port Folio Committee on water, discussions with visiting delegations from abroad, the involvement in the Conferences as Africasan, Women in Water Awards, Stander Lecture Evening, Interactions with DWAF, IWA SA, WRC and many other. 

Some of the important strategic issues, which were also discussed at a Strategic Workshop during March 2003, include important long-term decisions, which will be dealt with at Council and Board levels on the new future.  The implementation of those ideas as well as other thoughts, which might come out of those discussions. 

WISA have to look at its structure to improve communication and broaden our contact spectrum.  We need to develop a process of communication, marketing and reaching the broad spectrum of our rainbow nation we need to extend our present ways of communication. 

We need to develop other additional ways of income to guarantee sustainable growth and development.  

Another highlight was the invitation to attend the OZWATER Conference in Perth, Western Australia in April 2003.  The Conference was a high profile, well-organised Conference, attended by about 780 delegates and very relevant paper topics

A very important meeting between 10 Water Associations(namely PWA, IWA, AWWA,NZWWA, WISA, GWP, SEATAC, IAA, ANCID, FDC,) and it took place on 8 April 2003 ,it was decided that info will be exchange between these groups and the AWA.(Australian water association ) will keep all members informed of Conferences and  other activities. 

I would like to make use of this opportunity to thank all our members, the Council, the Board of Directors for their support during this year.  I also would like to thank our Conference organizers for the Cape town 2004 Bi annual Conference and the Afriwater Conference this year for all their hard work and time to serve our members,also to Lani Holtzhausen vd Merwe from Water Sewage and Effluent for her input and support on all the articles placed in the Magazine during the past year, and then without the support of our Patron Members we cannot exercise our wishes. 

I also would like to thank our CEO Willie Lötz, the staff at Head Office for their tremendous input and hard work during my term as well as Susan Talbot for her support in organizing the WISA evening meetings. 

I also would also like to thank our Chief Executive Officer Mr. Pat Twala and the Board of Directors of ERWAT.(Eastrand Water Care Company) , to allow me to spend some of my time for WISA activities during the Presidents year also to allow me to be involved in the next year as past President. 

I wish you all the success and prosperity in the years to come.

WISA President

Dries Louw.