74^th ANNUAL SASTA CONGRESS  

The 74^th Annual SA Sugar Technologists’ Congress is to be held from 1 – 3 August 2000.  It is intended that the Opening Day will be held at a beachfront hotel and the following sessions at the Science Lecture Theatres Complex at the University of Natal's Durban campus, the same venue as was had for the 1999 congress.  

AWARDS  

Selection of papers for the awarding of the traditional Kynoch, Talbot-Crosbie, Cecil Renaud etc will still take place, however a special Jubilee Year prize has been created.  

SPECIAL JUBILEE AWARD  

To mark the 75^th Annual Congress the SASTA Council has arranged that a prize in the form of sponsorship for attendance at the 2001 ISSCT Congress in Australia be given.  At the discretion of Council, this will be awarded to a deserving technologist whose performance suggests that he/she can contribute to and benefit from attendance at an international congress.  The winner will be selected largely on the basis of papers presented at this years congress  (the 74^th Annual SASTA Congress) and the prize will cover the attendance fee and an economy class air fare to the ISSCT Congress in Brisbane Australia in 2001.  

INNOVATION AWARD  

As part of its 50^th anniversary celebrations the SMRI has initiated an innovation trophy for recognition of developments which have shown definite value in improving cost-effectiveness or sustainability or safety of factory operations.  It is not intended that this award be based on information presented in SASTA papers but rather on an innovation which is merely drawn to our attention for on-site consideration by a panel of judges.  The innovation can be a small one initiated by a factory operator, artisan or analyst.  Where practical, a video clip of the best innovations will be presented at the congress.   Please assist SASTA to recognise potential winning innovation by simply drawing our attention to them.

2^nd CALL FOR PAPERS FOR CONGRESS 2000 

Those who would like to submit papers for presentation at Congress 2000 are advised that extended deadlines for submission of papers have been made taking into consideration the awarding of the Special Jubilee Prize;  

EXTENDED DEADLINES ARE:

1 MARCH – submission of;  

Summary Abstract of Full Papers +/- 250 words

Titles of Posters

Titles of Short Communications  

1 APRIL – submission of;            

            Full papers

            Poster Abstracts of not more than 100 words

            Complete  Short Communications    

1 JUNE – submission of;

            Poster summaries of up to 1200 words                                   

INTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS:  

For a detailed copy of the instructions please refer to our web-site or request these from the SASTA office (contact details appear at the end of this newsletter). Text must be in MSWord or .rtf format the name of the program used to created graphs, figures, tables etc must be supplied.  Once the paper has been edited/refereed the corrected hardcopy and the original copy showing editors marks  together with a computer disk, marked with the author’s name, must be forwarded to the SASTA office. 

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 

The option of short communications is to be emphasised.  These involve a ten-minute presentation and are to cater for exposure of new ideas or preliminary progress, which cannot justify a full paper.  

A special effort will be made to cater for poster papers.  Their prolonged and prominent exposure makes them particularly suitable for presenting certain types of information e.g. newly developed instruments.  

SMRI ASSISTANCE FOR FACTORY-BASED AUTHORS  

The SMRI is willing to assist factory-based authors in the preparation of their papers.  This could involve assistance with data analysis, structuring and editing of the paper, and to a limited extent, preparation of computer-based visuals.  Authors should not hesitate to contact SMRI for such assistance, but should do so in good time.  

The following topics could be of particular interest and might help to provoke ideas for factory papers and posters:  

·       comparison of South African factory technology with that in surrounding countries  

·       The production manager’s challenges in meeting raw sugar quality standards consistently  

·       increasing throughput on existing equipment  

·       Adapting to chopper harvested cane (or whole-stick green cane)  

·       Cane cleaning and rock removal  

·       Performance of high grade continuous centrifugal

·       Hopes for the Workplace Skills Development Act

·       progression towards increasing revenue from electricity  

·       Novel uses of information technology in sugar production

VENUES  

Registration and the opening of congress will be held on 1 August 2000 and the intention is to hold this at a Durban beachfront hotel.  Please refer to the sasta web-site www.sasta.co.za for regular updates of information or phone the office 27 (0) 31 5393205 and speak to Patricia Dunlop.  The technical sessions will be held on 2 and 3 August at the University of Natal’s Science Lecture Theatres Complex on the Durban Campus. 

SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITORS    

WORKSHOPS  

It is intended to arrange the following workshops:  

SASTA WORKSHOPS:  

March 2000   - Raw Sugar Quality  

May  2000     - Farming with RV  

August           - Soil compaction Workshop  

ISSCT WORKSHOPS (SEE FOLLOWING PAGE)  

The following workshops have been scheduled:  

ISSCT WORKSHOPS:  

Agricultural Engineering Section:

Dates:              23  - 28 July 2000

Venue:              Malelane, Mpumalanga, Republic of South Africa  

Focus:              Manual and mechanical infield sugarcane loading systems

                         Sugarcane transloading systems

                         Whole stalk and billet sugarcane transportation systems

                         Mill receiving and storage facilities  

Contact:             Eddie Meyer – ISSCT Workshop Convenor, SASA Experiment Station,

                                       Pvt Bag X02, Mt Edgecombe, Rep. of South Africa , 4300

                                       e-mail: xengem@sugar.org.za  

SPECIAL   INSERT: 

LATEST NEWS ON WORKSHOPS 

SASTA WORKSHOPS (COST TO BE ADVISED)

 contact the sasta office for further details:  tel 27 (0) 31 5393205 e-mail: sasta@sugar.org.za

 NUMBERS ARE LIMITED SO PLEASE BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT 

SASTA CONSTITUTION  

A Special General Meeting was held on 19 January 2000 at which the proposed amendments to the existing Constitution were approved.  The amended constitution will be posted on to the web-site shortly, should members wish to receive a hardcopy please contact the SASTA Office.  The most significant alteration to the Constitution was that regarding membership criteria and it was agreed to include in the Full Membership category all SACU countries.  

SASTA’S GENERAL  NOTICE BOARD  

FORTHCOMING EVENTS  

Annual General Meeting:  

This will be held on 1 August 2000, Opening Day of Congress 2000.  In accordance with the amended Constitution. Please note that nominations and voting for Council appointments will take place close to the 1 August AGM.  

Field & Factory Days:  

Workshops will replace the usual Field and Factory days for 2000.  

SASTA Congress 2000:  

The University of Natal’s Science Lecture Theatres Complex has been booked for Congress 2000 during 1 – 3 Aug 2000.  

Social Events:  

An end of year members' social get together is on the calendar.  

MEMBERS ACCOUNTS  

The pressure of commitments during 1999 demanded that, in order to have Brilliant computerised Statements out by the beginning of 2000, accounts were automaticaly debited with 1999 and 2000 subs & proceedings. Had we effected this manually accounts would not have been available till far too late in the year. Please be assured that upon receipt of your remittance advice informing the SASTA office that you do not want the proceedings we will be issuing the relevant credits.  

GENERAL  

Dr Peter Rein formerly of Tongaat Hulett Sugar Ltd, who has been an extremely active and invaluable member of SASTA, has moved to the USA.  We take this opportunity to wish him all the best for his stay there.  We are pleased to advise that at the request of Council, Dr Rein has agreed to remain on as the South African representative for the ISSCT.  

Patricia  Dunlop – SASTA PR & Liaison Officer

SA Sugar Technologists’ Association

SA Sugar  Association Experiment Station

Pvt Bag X02

Mount Edgecombe 4300

Republic of South Africa 

Tel: 27 (0) 31 5393205   Fax:  27 (0) 31 5395406   E-mail:  sasta@sugar.org.za Web -site: http://www.sasta.co.za

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