MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 11 APRIL 2016 AT REAL ADVENTURES OFFICE PARYS
Opening and welcoming: Christo Meyer did the opening and welcoming
Attendance and apologies:
Present: Christo Meyer, Ester Ndweni, Hugh du Preez, Carl Cilliers en Ria Myburgh
Apologies: Samuel Seleke, Ruan Ferreira and Bennie Pretorius.
2.1. The minutes (with a few corrections) of the previous meeting is accepted and signed by all present.
2.2 Christo Meyer gave some feedback regarding the visit of two officials, contracted by Cathsseta, to the office in order to verify all the documents required in the application for funding. A file was prepared before hand with the necessary documents. However they wanted an original of the tax clearance certificate and not the copy. Most of the documents had to be certified which Bennie Pretorius did. Christo Meyer arranged with the auditor in Klerksdorp to email the tax clearance certificate. It was printed in colour and the officials were happy to except it. One or two other document that was needed was send to them via email by Bennie Pretorius. Indication was given by the officials that after their assessment the Vredefort Dome Guide Association’s application for funding will be successful. Reviewing by Cathsseta will be done during the month of April 2016. Allocating the money will take time – we are looking at September 2016
2.3 Ria Myburgh mentioned that she was busy with the organisation of the Boere Troos Festival and had not enough time to give attention to the website, change of website address and updating of the letterhead. However after the festival (this coming Saturday) she will be able to proceed. Carl Cilliers and Karl Marais (Webmeester) both are in possession of photos that could be used on the website.
2.4 Regarding the financial statements, audit and call account – feedback required from Bennie Pretorius.
2.5 Christo Meyer tried to contact Ms V. Pillay (National Registrar) – she was in a meeting – to inquire about the reasonable waiting period for badges for the guides. To register the guides was done in a very short period of time but now we have been waiting for six months for the badges from the Provincial Registrar. The reason given for the delay – they are unable to procure a service provider. Frikkie Scheepers (It’s Ink) is a service provider and maybe we should mention him to the Provincial Registrar.
2.6 Feedback (if any) from Bennie Pretorius is required regarding the Wild Africa.com Adventure Town-of-the-year competition. The question is, what do they need from us or what is the next step?
2.7 Hugh du Preez mentioned that people (operators?) are driving on the grass alongside the river in Grewer Ave as well as in Oranje St near the Municipal Purification Works. The Dome Guides should set an example via its members that we do not condone this, it’s not right. People are creating more and more roads and in the process destroying the grass. We should get Wildlife Conservation Trust, Tanya Holtzhausen and Judy Brown involved in this. The committee members agree to have an on-site meeting prior to the next committee meeting in May 2016. People who should be present are Tanya Holtzhausen, Andy Robins, Judy Brown, Renee Hartslief, Tania Hartman, Saal de Jager and Jan Fourie. An invitation should be send out them and the outcome of this meeting will be published in the Gazette.
2.8 Did Bennie Pretorius receive the Proposed Regulations for Tour Guides? Christo Meyer proposes that the document should be send to the members and that a meeting with them should take place to work through the document. The document is up for public comment (60 days). The comments received will be incorporated or evaluated – the final document will be published in the Government Gazette. One of the points mentioned in the document is compliance (the point addressed by Hugh du Preez in 2.7 – guides/operators not being registered and unclear level of competence). Members should get a certificate of membership as well as a certificate of the code of conduct. Of the latter a copy must be signed and put on file. If anything should happen the member could get a disciplinary hearing but a non-member create a problem
2.9 Christo Meyer proposes that we tell new members who join us, that they pay yearly a membership fee when they qualify. Carl Cilliers mentioned that admin costs of R50 on top of the yearly fee should be considered. He also proposes a subsidy for individual members, because it is not so much the money as the commitment that is at stake. These proposals will be made during the General Meeting later this year.
3. Meeting closed at: 12:43
4. Next meeting: 11 May 2016 – 11:00 – R.E.A.L. Adventure Office
It was decided by the committee members to move future meetings to Wednesdays instead of Mondays, which is normally a very busy day.