President’s comment

on trackGETTING BACK

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward

t has indeed been a busy time for the

IIWMSA. By the time you read this, we will have concluded the first virtual Eastern Cape Conference, ‘Journey to Zero Waste’, as well as the LaWTIG (Landfill and Waste Treatment Interest Group) virtual seminar and exhibition, ‘Landfill and Waste Treatment 2021’, hosted by the KZN branch.

Many of us are longing for that elusive ‘back to normal’ face-to-face event; however, the organising committee wisely decided against it some months ago and, in true IWMSA spirit, embraced the unknown of the virtual world to keep things on track.

Embracing the unknown

Despite our fears surrounding the uncertainty in holding a virtual event of this scale, the LaWTIG event promises to be a huge success due to the tenacious efforts of the organising committee, with sponsors and exhibitors secured and well over 100 delegates registered.

The programme is packed with presentations, workshops and panel discussions on hot topics, featuring prominent local and international speakers. The event will also include the inaugural award of the new IWMSA ‘Conscientious Spirit’

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trophy, for conscientiousness going beyond normal ethical behaviour, in pursuit of excellence and in meeting the range of goals of the IWMSA. I am looking forward to proudly reporting back on yet more successful IWMSA and LaWTIG events.

At home base

In the engine room of the IWMSA, the head office team, supported by our branch managers, has been hard at work streamlining and modernising our systems and ways of doing business. In line with our organisational strategy, we continue to ‘refresh’, as we look positively towards the future and needs of our members.

Council has made some progressive decisions in this regard, including a move towards a brand-new, online, cloud-based membership interface and financial management system, and a departure from old-fashioned communications in favour of a fresh approach aimed at greater membership engagement, enhancing our social media presence, publicity and media exposure.

Our executive officer, Nicolle de Bruyn, who has been with us for six months now, is firmly in the driving seat and up for the challenge. It is also worth mentioning that Ann Oosthuizen is indeed still with us, having graciously agreed to stay on as membership manager. Please don’t hesitate to contact them if you have any issues or concerns, so that we can effectively address these.

WasteCon 2022

We are also about to launch WasteCon 2022, which we are all very excited about and looking forward to, having faced the disappointment of having to cancel in 2020. The theme of our biennial conference and exhibition – currently planned to be held as a face-to-face event at Emperors Palace in Gauteng from 16 to 20 October 2022 – will be ‘Back on Track? Perspectives on Waste and Circularity’.

Emerging from a period in which virtually all aspects of our lives have been dominated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the theme essentially encompasses a reality check on where we are now in respect of the state of waste management and circular economy, what we have done well or poorly in the past, what we should continue doing well, and what we should be doing better or differently in the future.

I wish you and your loved ones all the very best as we approach the festive season, and look forward to a bright new year in 2022.

Brendon Jewaskiewitz, President, IWMSA