Dear Fellow SASAS members
The first quarter of 2021 has just gone by and our preparations for the forthcoming SASAS
congress being organised by the Northern Branch is well underway. As a reminder, 52nd
SASAS Congress will take place virtually and in-person (at the Future Africa venue in
Pretoria, Hatfield) from 10–12 August 2021 under the theme: “Communication of animal
science: Is it reliable? Is it relevant? Is it responsible?” You definitely cannot afford to miss
this congress.
Once again, note that the due date for submission of abstracts has been extended until
17 May 2021 to ensure that members are afforded sufficient time to respond to this call.
We hope that our members will respond overwhelmingly to this last call for abstracts so
that we can present a memorable congress. Visit the congress website for more
information (https://www.sasascongress.co.za/).
In line with our tradition, awards (namely Gold, Silver and Bronze medals) will be given to
the deserving recipients at the forthcoming congress. The closing date for nominations
of the awards is 31 May 2021. Further details regarding the guidelines and nomination
forms can be found in the Member’s section of our website under Information and
documentation.
The Council wishes to add their voice to the call for support from the Northern Branch to
our key stakeholders to collaborate with the society in presenting an excellent congress.
Without the support of the stakeholders, a successful congress is not possible. The Council
has been reliably informed by the Northern Branch that our key stakeholders are coming
to the party in this regard.
Some of the Councillors will be reaching the end of their term of office. The following
portfolios will be available for filling during the upcoming elections:
* President
* Vice President
* 3 Council members
Voting will be conducted through an Electronic voting system. Nominations will be open
until 5 July 2021. Nomination forms for positions on the Council are available from the
SASAS secretariat ([email protected]) or on the SASAS website. **For information on current SASAS Council Members and Secretariat, go to Contact us on the website.
As per the Constitution, only members in good standing are eligible for nomination and
voting. Accordingly, members are encouraged to pay their membership fees so that they
can exercise their right. Please visit our website to renew your membership
(https://www.sasas.co.za/renew-membership/). You can also contact the SASAS
Secretariat for assistance if you experience problems in renewing your membership
through the online process. Note that the membership fee from 1st April 2021 is as follows:
* Full Member: R950.00
* Student Member: R150.00
Members have also made a call to sensitize Council about the need for effective
communication in order to ensure that members are empowered through virtual
information dissemination initiatives. Council is pleased to inform members that a decision
was made at the last Council meeting held on 18th March 2021 to implement a webinar
series starting in June 2021. These webinars will allow the Society to facilitate effective
communication and information sharing. Please be on the lookout for further
communication in this regard.
We hope that members will support the forthcoming congress by registering for this event
in large numbers.
Lastly, the pandemic is still with us and we encourage members to exercise the necessary
safety precautions as the number of infections are steadily rising.
Kindest regards
Prof Norman Maiwashe
President: Council of the South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS)