MACE
______________________________________________________________
To all my colleagues in attendance, a sincere, warm welcome to Congress
2015. Every year our Annual MACE Congress becomes radiantly more
diverse and this year is certainly no exception.
I would like to thank our Host institution Unizulu and the KZN region for an
impressive relevant programme. This was the first time that a host institution
worked closely with their region thereby acknowledging their region's
strength, expertise and professionalism. I would personally like to thank
Lesiba Seshoka and his team from UKZN, Mbali Mkhize, Len and the Team
from MUT as well as Alan Khan, Vasantha and the Team from DUT for
closely working with Normah Zondo and her hardworking Team at Unizulu.
Your persistence, perseverance and tirelessness in promoting the high
standards of MACE are recognised by the number of members who have
registered to attend as well as the programme.
2015 has been a year of change and adjustments and this AGM is certainly
going to add to that.
This is my final report and I would like to say thank you to all our members for
their invaluable support during my term as National Chairperson.
This year we have all had to make modifications to our conventional ways of
thinking. My time in this prestigious and instrumental role has given me the
opportunity to further develop my skills and knowledge. This responsibility
has also allowed me to cultivate and expand on my friendships and
collaborations. I am leaving, knowing that all that this office was tasked with
in the past four years has been accomplished.
We have gained in membership, with the TVET Colleges becoming
increasingly more participative and committed to our organisation. Their
contributions to our regional structures have created a far-reaching and
fundamental platform and for this we thank them.
The Regional Structures that have changed and whose Regional
Chairpersons now join the new Board are:
- FS Region
Lacea Loader (UFS)
- Central Region
- (nominations for the regional structure have been
called on numerous occasions and I at this juncture would like to urge
member institutions in this region to work with Mayishebe to rectify this
outstanding regional election before the final Board meeting on the 19th
November 2015).
- Northern Region
– (nominations for the regional structure have been
called on numerous occasions and I at this juncture would like to urge
member institutions in this region to work with Mayishebe to rectify this
outstanding regional election before the final Board meeting on the 19 th
November 2015).
- KZN Region
–
- EC Region
– Thabo Mpumlwana (University of Fort Hare)
- WC Region
– Marick Hornsveld (CPUT).
As your outgoing National Chairperson, I mentioned that in 2014 we had
made significant changes and I am adding to that:-
As per the MOI a new National & Deputy Chair will be nominated and
elected by the Board in November 2015.
-
Regional structures have not made their presence felt as we expected
and at the final board meeting and ops planning meeting, a two-year
plan is to be designed taking the members' feedback into
consideration.
-
DevMan has taken charge of the dissemination of all relevant
e-communications. I would like to thank James & Andrea Kydd and
their relentless team for their uncompromising professionalism.
-
Our first-ever Directors' Symposium hosted by NMMU with the support
of the Carl & Emily Fuchs Foundation, was an unqualified success.
After my report, Mr Pieter Swart one of our Honorary Members, will
briefly present the report of our Facilitator Dr Riaan Els.
-
Jandre Bakker & I, with the assistance of Dr Riaan Els, facilitated,
drafted and with Board approval confirmed, the relevant policies and
documentation on our website:-


NOMINATION FORM MACE REGIONAL STRUCTURE 2015
NATIONAL STRUCTURE NOMINATION FORM



MACE 2015 EXCELLENCE AWARDS Entry form
2015 EXCELLENCE AWARDS Information and briefing
MACE 2015 EXCELLENCE AWARDS Competition form

MACE POLICIES:
o Annual Congress
o Annual General Meeting
o Board Meetings
o Regional Structures
From a Governance and Compliance perspective:
2015 Board meetings were held:





17 February, hosted by UJ
26 March, hosted by Unizulu
8 June, hosted by NMMU
7 October, hosted by Unizulu at Greyville Race Course
19 November (JHB venue) TBC for ops planning and election of
National & Deputy Chairpersons
From an Operational perspective:
-
Congress 2014 hosted by North West University was one the many
successful congresses held since I took office. Louis Jacobs, &
Phumzile Mmope and their team were readily on hand to assist the
current hosts.
Best Practices, Professional Recognition & Skills Development:
-
Our Regional Chairpersons will report on their 2015 activities.
-
Reports on the Workshops conducted are available.
Excellence Awards 2015:
Jandre Bakker will follow with his report. I would like to thank our esteemed
Moderator Amanda and the rest of the judging panel for once again
generously giving their weekend to professionally moderate our entries. Your
hard work and sense of benevolence is greatly valued and respected.
Finance and Funding:
We are happy to report that the organisation’s books were audited and the
Financial Statements will be tabled under item 6 on the Agenda. We would
like to thank Beverley Erickson, our Treasurer, for her high levels of
competence in ensuring that our bank balance is well secured. I would like to
thank the Senior Management at NMMU for their encouragement and cooperation in awarding Beverley Erickson the opportunity to continue in her
volunteer capacity as Treasurer and Secretary.
Strategically:
-
This year our decision to gather more research about future
collaboration with HESA will be discussed at the next Ops Planning
meeting.
-
Regarding EDUCATE PLUS, the decision was to continuously circulate
any relevant information to our members.
-
With respect to CASE, one of my final tasks as outgoing Chair is my
November meeting in Cape Town with the VP of CASE (US) and OPS
VP (US/UK/AFRICA) to discuss a possible collaboration. I would like to
thank Lacea Loader for ensuring that these discussions became more
than just a possibility.
Conclusion
In her absence and with the sincere apology from The National Deputy Chair
Phumzile Mmope, we sadly say goodbye to the MACE Board. I must say that
we have overcome many obstacles with the help of Dr Riaan Els our sole
benefactor. With the belief of you our members, we have over many years
come from being an orgainsation that was almost insolvent to once again
being a thriving, growing organisation.
Our members and the Board’s professionalism in reaching out to each other
have not gone unnoticed. Your willingness to participate has placed us in a
commanding position of being the only organisation to offer exceptional
opportunities to discover new skills and grow our knowledge in the areas of
marketing, advancement and communication in our relevant professions in
Higher Education.
The support that both Phumzile and I received during our tenure has been
nothing but generous, warm and all-encompassing. The current National
Board, Bev,(NMMU) Phumzile (NWU), Takalani (UNIVEN), Mayishebe
(UNISA), Lacea (UFS), Jandre (BOLAND COLLEGE), Normah (UNIZULU)
and DK (UL) have occupied more than their one role allocation at any given
time. I am most grateful and appreciative to them for so big-heartedly
volunteering their invaluable time and expertise. You have all become more
than just work colleagues - you have become my friends forever.
The new Board will be in by the end of November 2015 along with the two coopted members - Beverley Erickson who will remain as Secretary/Treasurer
for another year and Jandre Bakker, who will remain as The Excellence
Awards Director. I would like to thank the Board’s Senior Management as
well for entrusting their most valued personnel to the Board, for without their
support, acceptance and continued generosity we would not have been able
to maintain the successes that we have achieved.
I would also like to thank my Executive Director Dr Connie Israel, current KZN
Regional Chair, Ms Normah Zondo and the rest of the UNIZULU Team for
their passionate engagement with the work of MACE. Your professional
stance has ensured that you have all gone above and beyond and for this you
have my utmost gratitude. I am proud to be part of such an awesome team.
Once again, I would like to reiterate that MACE is a membership-based
Association (without the luxuries of permanent staff, and logistics). MACE is
exclusively dependent on the voluntary services of Board members, service
providers, sponsorships as well as membership support and the continued
active participation from all institutions.
Before I finalise my report, we will call for the nomination and election process
for the two Board members to take place as well as for the announcement of
our Congress 2016 hosts.
I now call upon Pieter Swart to report back on the Director’s Symposium;
however, before he joins us, I would like to urge you all to enjoy the activities
planned for you and wish you well for the Excellence Awards Ceremony.
Your feedback on Congress 2015 is crucial for us in maintaining our high
standards.
You have all been amazing advocates and friends. I hope that the new Board
will be able to gain from your continued support. Good luck! Next year I look
forward to once again sitting amongst you!
Pooven Naiker
October 2015.