African Fusion November 2023

SAIW 2023 Awards and Gala Dinner

SAIW 2023 Awards and Gala Dinner celebrates excellence and industry growth After a Covid-19 induced four-year hiatus, on 23 October 2023 the Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) announced the winners of its prestigious annual awards at a gala dinner in Fourways, Johannesburg sponsored by Lincoln Electric and ESAB.

T he 2023 SAIW Awards and Gala Dinner was dedicated to recognis ing and celebrating remarkable achievements, innovations and contribu tions within the welding and fabrication sectors, marking a significant milestone in the industry’s pursuit of excellence and sustainability. Opening the event, the SAIW President, Joseph Zinyana reminded guests that the SAIW Gala Dinner had not graced our cal endars since 2020, a period marked by the global challenges and disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our absence from such gatherings for the past few years reminds us of the resilience and strength of our industry, as well as our com mitment to safety and well-being,” he said. “Tonight, we have the distinct plea sure of recognising and honouring those individuals and organisations who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and made significant contributions to both the Institute and the welding industry over the past year. Your unwavering com mitment and exceptional efforts have not only sustained us during these challenging times but have propelled us forward,” said Zinyana.

The 2023 SAIW Awards and Gala Dinner.

Tarboton added: “Through our unwav ering commitment to long-term sustain ability, we’ve created a highly effective turnaround strategy at the SAIW, driven by a comprehensive approach and inte grated marketing plan. This success has been achieved amidst challenging times and two restructuring exercises and stems from a united, motivated workforce with shared values.” The SAIW Awards and Gala Dinner also serves as a hub for networking and collaboration, bringing together industry professionals, leaders, and experts in one location, fostering valuable connections and potential collaborations. A diverse range of awards was presented at the Gala with the additional good news that each student recipient will receive a R60 000 bursary. Awards and winners were: • The President’s Award for NDT Level 1: Sunithi Barends. • The President’s Award for NDT Level 2: Kurt Du Plooy. • The Phil Santilhano Award for the best Welding Coordinator and Inspector Level 1 student: Tsiliso Litali. • The Phil Santilhano Award for best Welding Coordinator and Inspector Level 2 Student: Willem Rossouw. • The Best Welding Co-Ordinator Award: Chandri Swanepoel from Ratamang Civil Projects and Fabrication. • Best International Institute of Weld-

SAIW Executive Director John Tarboton unpacked the theme of the awards evening – ‘Unity Through Fusion’ – explaining that this reflected the new consolidation of the SAIW and SAIW Certification into a single entity. “We’ve taken the initiative and es tablished distinct sub-brands and logos for the SAIW, representing our diverse service offerings: Technical Services, Education & Training, and Qualification & Certification. These logos are poised to carve out unique brand identities for our services,” he said.

Sunithi Barends was awarded the SAIW President’s Award for NDT Level 1. She is flanked on her left by SAIW executive director, John Tarboton and on her right by Joseph Zinyana, SAIW President.

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November 2023

AFRICAN FUSION