Saaff restructures to strengthen national lobbying muscle

Regional model to be scrapped
ALAN PEAT
THE SA Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) has restructured and revised its constitution.
¡°The background is that SAAFF has historically been structured regionally,¡± said John White, chairman of the present executive committee, ¡°with individual forwarding and clearing (F&C) operators as members of one or more regions.
¡°Those regional associations then formed the membership of SAAFF national ¨C and no F&C operator was a direct member of SAAFF national.¡±
But, of late, a lot of the challenges have been at national level - such as the black economic empowerment (BEE) - F&C charter, or, more recently, customs¡¯ deferment.
The regional associations could deal with regional concerns. But, according to White, in responding to national issues it was theoretically possible to have different regional views expressed ¨C making the national executive ineffective.
The main points in the new constitution are:
¡ñ The regional associations will no longer be members of SAAFF national ¨C with the national membership being full members, associates or life members.
¡ñ All F&C operators who are full members of any one or more regions and associate members will have the right to become members of SAAFF national.
¡ñ Management will be by a board of directors.
¡ñ The members will elect both the chairman and the board members by an ordinary poll at each annual general meeting (AGM), with all members having equal voting rights, and proxy votes available.
¡ñ The board will hold office until the next AGM ¨C but no director can hold office for more than three years consecutively.
¡ñ The chairman will appoint a deputy - and will allocate the various portfolios to the directors. These will include customs, maritime, aviation and border post affairs; membership; transformation & BEE; finance & admin; and communication.
¡ñ Two board positions are for specific regional nomination ¨C being director for KZN regional affairs and the director for Cape affairs.
¡ñ Each of the existing regional SAAFF associations will automatically become chapters of the new SAAFF national structure
White expects invitations for the nomination of chairman and board members to be sent out fairly shortly.
¡°We believe that this is a substantial step in the right direction and will facilitate the effectiveness of SAAFF in the challenges that lie ahead of it,¡± he said.