Firstly, I must apologise for not being able to deliver this report in person, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I am unable to be present today. I am sure Astrid as my Vice Chairperson will entertain you and is a lot easier on the eye than myself.

This has been a mixed year with a small increase in our membership numbers and I have been ably assisted by a loyal executive committee and I would like to thank them all for their support – particularly Astrid as my Vice Chairperson who has deputized for me on several occasions.

Having members of the committee based in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth has proved a positive feature and ensured that the FFETA name is known countrywide and we look forward to increasing our membership numbers in the coming year.

The FFETA website, which has now been active for over a year, is beginning to see more traffic and the committee is looking at ways to attract more visits as well as be of more benefit to members.

We have maintained regular liaison with our industry associations and organisations such as SAQCC, SABS, IFTA, ECSA, FPA, FDIA, DEPT OF LABOUR, INSURANCE INDUSTRY IFE and will continue to liaise with these associations and organizations to ensure we are up to date with what is happening in our industry and thus able to pass any relevant information on to you as our members.

The majority of the Executive Committee as well as myself, are also members of the SAQCC Fire main committee. This year has seen the advent of the SAQCC Fire Road Show – an initiative originally put forward by FFETA and we are proud to have been the instigators of what is proving such a successful venture into the provinces.

It is an asset for FFETA to have such luminaries as Jeremy Kellett and Kobus Breedt on our committee being the Technical Chairman and Treasurer of SAQCC Fire respectively. This has created a fund of knowledge and expertise which FFETA has been able to draw on.

Jeremy’s liaison with the SABS and his participation at their meetings has resulted in his detailed reports being circulated in our minutes to all members which can only have been of benefit to all. Thank you Jeremy.

Kobus’s control of our finances has meant FFETA is in a very healthy position as can be seen by our audited accounts which he will present later so thank you Kobus.

Thanks must also go to James Nunnerley who with his connections in Durban, oversees the neck ring project which has proved a major source of income for our association.

As my right hand person for the past umpteen years, I would like to thank Rosemary Cowan for her assistance and support in the administration of the Association. She has been doing this job for FFETA since 1990 and long may she continue.

I would like to remind all FFETA members that this is your association. You are invited to attend the Executive Committee meetings, and we welcome any contribution you can make to the association by faxing or emailing comments and suggestions to our offices. We can only address issues in an effective manner if we have your input and support.

As we look forward to 2012, I can only hope this will prove a good year for us all both in our business and private lives.

To finish – I would just like to say thank you again to all of you for coming along today and continuing to support FFETA – I would like to request you to spread the FFETA name far and wide as our strength lies in our membership and a larger membership will thus mean more strength, more influence and more control.

Thank you

MESHAK GABENI
CHAIRMAN