7 minute read
Chairman’s desk
CHAIRMAN’S DESK LEEASA NEWS
Who would have thought that 2021 would have flown by so quickly? Another challenging year under the belt and most of us looking forwards to a well-deserved rest over the December festive season. It’s not all doom and gloom and it was great to see a lot of you at the Lifting Africa Golf Day that took place on the 29th of October. Another well-organised event to be remembered. It seems we are still all battling with challenges brought on by Covid-19 and there is speculation of fur-ther variants being detected. How this will affect us as a Nation will only be known further down the road and we can only all hope that a sense of normality will return sometime in the future. For now, all we can do is remain safe, healthy and help prevent further outbreaks by being vaccinated and comply-ing with the protocol enforced upon us by the government. We have had some good news that the KITE expedition in Durban will be taking place early next year and we will Definity be having a conference at the exhibition as long as it still takes place. Please diarise the date of 17th February 2022 at the Durban Exhibition Centre. We will send out correspondence in early January. Attendees will receive 1 CPD point for attending. We have had a great membership turnout this year and ended off with the following number of members. • 229 Active Members • 153 Active Lifting Machinery Inspectors (LMI’s) • 77 Active Company Members We hope you all received your copy of the NEW LEEASA VETTING GUIDE with the last edition of Lifting Africa. Please feel free to distribute it to your clientele and request additional hard copies from us if required. As mentioned previously there has been a lot happening behind the scenes at LEEASA to ensure con-tinuity and a wellstructured association. With this in mind, I regret to inform you all that Mr Ken Greenwood who was involved from the very beginning at LEEASA has decided to retire from the association as of 1 December 2021. His knowledge, expertise and wisdom has been entrenched in many of us and will always remain a mentor to us all when needed. Due to his involvement over the years, LEEASA has decided to make him a lifelong Honorary member of the association and we deeply express our gratitude for the time spent over the years that he has dedicated to the Lifting Industry. He may be gone but will never be forgotten….. We will be in communication in early January with regards to the replacement of empty council seats that needs to take place and if you feel you have what it takes to assist the association growing and moving forwards, please contact us to make it known that you would like to be considered for council. (All Council Members will require a clean criminal record as well as compliant financial status and willing to be listed as a director of LEAASA should they be elected to council) In the interim, we have already started sending out quotations for next years membership and you will be pleased to know we will be keeping the membership fees the same for 2022. Remember to ensure you use the correct reference when making payments so they can be allocated accordingly. Have a safe and joyful festive season, and we hope to see you all return safely in the new year. Yours in SAFE LIFTING, Ashley Davis and the rest of the LEEASA team. Below are a few messages from Ken’s colleagues and council members….
Roger Day
It seems forever that Ken has been so deeply involved with LEEASA as Councillor, Chairperson and Director, and who has made a huge impact on the Association and the Lifting Industry in general. Ken has devoted so much of his time to developing and managing LEEASA over the years and this included his representing the Lifting Industry and advising when the Department of Labour was working on revising the DMR 18 regulations. Nobody will know the many unpaid hours and hours that Ken put into LEEASA, but I do appreciate all that he has done. Thank you, Ken. And now after all these years of dedication, guidance, hard work and perseverance, Ken has decided to take a back seat. Ken is such an active, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic fellow, and I cannot see him sitting back. Ken is a most generous person and always ready to help others and to educate, and I am sure we will continue to see him around, involved in the stuff that he loves. Ken, in thanking you for your dedication, your contribution, our time together on Council, and your friendship over the years, I wish you a very happy and enjoyable retirement from LEEASA. You can look back with pride! Best wishes Roger Day
Ian Gerrard
Dear Ken
20 years, It was with regret that I learned of you stepping down from LEEASA. Our industry and all the various bodies involved will miss you very much, as will I. I wish you all the very best for the Future. Ian
Piet Otto
“I have known Ken as a friend and colleague for over the last 25 years or so. We served together on various SABS Technical Standards Committees and were active on the LEEASA Executive and Council since its inception. I have consulted, often even argued but mostly agreed with his opinions on many issues relating to lifting equipment technical, correct use, safety, legislation and educational matters. Ken was always the first person that I would consult for advice and his opinion was always valued! In my opinion, the truth is that LEEASA would not have been a success and survived, if it was not for Ken and Arnold Sommer, who both gave their time to attend to LEEASA matters, mostly without much appreciation of their efforts and unknown to members. They, as well as others including myself, simp-ly did it because we were committed. When the LME/LMI process started, Ken was the leader at meetings and discussions with the DOL as well as at ECSA. He was the Champion! Very few people know about the hours and hours that he spent serving as an ECSA Council Member as well as on the Executive of the CET and the complexities of balancing and satisfying the interests and demands of all concerned parties, without prejudice or favours expected. I must also mention that Ken always asked about, was concerned and cared for colleagues’ families as well as their health and wellbeing. I salute Ken as a man and I am proud and privileged to have had him as a friend for so long. Ken, I thank you sincerely for all that you have shared and taught me. Go well my friend, you deserve time off and Godspeed for the future!”
Lifting Africa
A man who needs no introduction. An industry stalwart. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you, Ken Greenwood. From a humble start working together on a Lifting Guide, we built a strong bond. I came to you with an idea; publishing a magazine focusing exclusively on the lifting industry. You understood my vision and, as chairman of LEEASA, supported the launch of Lifting Africa magazine in June 2015. You made time and educated me, elevating – pun intended – my knowledge of the lifting industry. You went to great efforts. I will always appreciate the hours you took out of your busy schedule to work with me or even just stop by the office for a short chat. My employee, Lusana Merckel, had this to say: “I came from an entirely different industry and having to learn the difference between a forklift and a tower crane proved challenging but with the knowledge and insight from industry experts like Ken, needless to say, I have learnt heaps. Thank you, Ken, for all the hours spent together, which for you may have seemed like a casual chat, but for me, was a chance to absorb wisdom. I have enjoyed every story (and the many laughs) you had shared with me. Your passion for the lifting industry is worthy of admiration, and it is comforting to know you will always be a phone call away”. Publishing Lifting Africa magazine was once a dream but is now a reality. I will forever be indebted to you. We will always appreciate every sacrifice. Your contribution to making the lifting industry safe and le-gally compliant is worthy of a superlative. Lusana, the Lifting Africa team and I, wish you a welldeserved retirement. Lots of love.
Feel free to reach out to the council members if the need requires. Chairman: Ashley Davis | ashley@leeasa.co.za
Vice Chair (Treasurer of Finance Committee):
Surita Marx | surita@leeasa.co.za
Ordinary Members:
Andries Agenbag | andries@leeasa. co.za Francois Blignaut | francois@ leeasa.co.za Kyle Graham | kyle@leeasa.co.za
