NIXT MANAGEMENT This page was updated on 6 August 2009

MANAGEMENT ADVISORY FORUM CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

MANAGEMENT

Chairman:	Mr Petrus Cloete	RDM North
Secretary:	Mr Stuart Tough	NIXT
Treasurer:	Mr Dawie Mynhardt	BME
Advisory Forum:	Mr Dawie Mynhardt	BME
Training	Capt John Edwards	NIXT
Members	Dr Piet Halliday Mr Paul Venter	AEL Sasol Nitro

ADVISORY FORUM

Chairman
Dawie Mynhardt	NIXT
Secretary
Stuart Tough	-NIXT
Members
-All interested persons from the Explosives and related industries -

Meetings may be attended by any interested individual.

Contact the Secretary should you wish to participate on the Advisory Forum.

TO TOP

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2008 TO 31 MARCH 2009

INTRODUCTION

The National Institute for Explosives Technology (NIXT) fosters the interests of the commercial, armaments, military, mining, structural engineering, educational sectors as well as other organizations related to the South African explosives and related industries. NIXT was founded in 1988 and is currently widely recognised in South Africa and abroad.

The members of NIXT comprises of industry (commercial and armaments), regulatory authorities (Dept of Minerals and Energy, the South African Police Services, Department of Labour) and the SANDF.

In 2000 NIXT was invited to become an Associate Member of SAFEX, an international organisation involved with monitoring and fostering safety in the explosives industry and is also an Associate Member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) based in the USA.


MANAGEMENT

NIXT is successful only as a result of enthusiastic people who voluntarily and unselfishly make available their expertise and resources.

The National Institute for Explosives Technology is privileged to have a competent management team who ensures that NIXT stays a major role player influencing the explosives industry. A special thanks to our secretary, Mr. Stuart Tough and his wife Liz who ensures that the administration is in perfect order.

The following Management team was elected and served NIXT during 2008/2009:

Chairperson	Mr. Petrus Cloete (RDM)
Vice-Chairperson	Mr. Corrie Conradie (AEL)
Secretary	Mr. Stuart Tough
Internal Auditor	Dr. Louis van der Walt (PMP)
Chairman: Advisory Forum	Lt Col Gert Barnard (SANDF)
Training Coordinator	Capt. John Edwards
Member	Mr. Dawie Mynhardt (BME)
Member	Mr. Paul Venter (Sasol Nitro)
Member	Dr. Piet Halliday (AEL)

We have been grieved by the sudden death of Mr. Corrie Conradie just after the last meeting. Mr. Conradie was a past Chairman and hard worker who served this Institute with distinction and honour.


MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Institute remained constant over the past year. It is believed though, that the majority of active role-players in the explosives industry are Members of NIXT. Interest is growing from sectors of the Mining Industry.


FINANCES

Financial Statements are audited by Prof. Boela Swanepoel. The Institute is now registered as a tax exempt body. Finances are in good standing with a positive cash flow and some reserves in the money market. The Secretary, Mr. Stuart Tough and his wife Liz, are thanked for their careful management of the finances.


CONFERENCES AND TRAINING

The training course held in April 2008 was a two day Hazard and Operability Study run by Daan Rademeyer of Ishecon. There were forty participants at this course held at Denel Dynamics and all participants were issued with a certificate.

In July 2008 a conference on Emergency Response was held at the Isidleke venue of African Explosives Ltd at Modderfontein and was attended by sixty five persons. The venue and catering costs were kindly met by AEL and they were thanked for there presentation display of a number of their Emergency Response vehicles and equipment.

In October 2008 a conference on Users of Explosives was held at IMT in Simonstown with the S A Navy as the host. The conference was attended by fifty five persons. The Navy arranged for the delegates to visit their Magazine Area and provided an excursion on their harbour boats in the bay.

The relationship between NIXT and UNISA is a winning combination and several new training projects are envisaged. Captain John Edwards works in close relationship with Mr. Andreas de Beer and Prof. Heinz Schenk of UNISA to provide education for employees in the industry.

One of these new initiatives is satellite broadcasting which has the opportunity of remote two way communication. It will allow independent and collaborative learning saving time and costs of running the courses.

On request from the Department of Labour, a shortened course for Explosive Managers is being reviewed with UNISA in conjunction with NIXT Management.


EXPLOSIVES COUNCIL

The Department of Labour has been advised in writing that the industry representatives for the National Explosives Council are now Mr. Ernest Hodgson and Dr. William Spiteri. Several important issues raised by NIXT still need to be clarified by the Council. These issues include; safe disposal of base emulsions in mines, creation of a pamphlet on hazards of explosives for users, the use of RT and cellphones as well as mess rooms in Danger Areas.


CONCLUSION

I appreciate the commitment of our Members and Management Team to live the vision of NIXT. A special thank you to the CEO’s of our Corporate Members for investing in NIXT.


Petrus Cloete

CHAIRMAN

14 April 2009