Good morning, everyone,

Welcome to the 27th Annual General Meeting of OCCA SA. We represent as per our byline / slogan:  the Coatings Technologists of Southern Africa.

Thank you for making the time to be online with us today. Your presence reflects your commitment to OCCA, and it’s sincerely appreciated.

We wanted to let our AGM again coincide with CFA 2026 in a physical meeting. This was however not possible since we could not secure a venue at a reasonable cost. We therefor decided to hold our AGM virtually, and the positive effect of this is that more members who would not have visited CFA, now also can attend.    

Last month we exhibited at Coatings for Africa 2026 and while OCCA sadly was not part organizing committee, it was for us still a success.

We however need to report back to our members that the organisers, DMG, decided that involvement from OCCA at CFA was not required any longer as the demand for paid technical content had diminished since COVID. We did dispute this and still find a need to be part of the organising team and co-host this event that years ago was initiated by OCCA.

 SAPMA, retained by DMG as co-host, regrettably choose not to engage with us on this matter.

OCCA-SA continued to build its identity. Our tagline –
“Representing the Coatings Technologists of Southern Africa”
—underscores our commitment to all sectors of the industry.

A big thank you to you Bev our membership secretary and Sabelo our Northern Section Chair for manning the stand. Meeting visitors and getting them interested in OCCA.

It reminds us of the essential role OCCA SA plays in sharing knowledge with the local coatings industry—especially with the next generation of chemists and technicians.

From visitors showing their interest in OCCA and leaving their details with our team, we are now able to reach even more people in the coatings industry via our webinars and as result of this attract more members.

All 3 our sections: Cape, KZN and Northern, have arranged mini symposia in the last year and we are looking forward for more of these. Our thanks go to the Section committees organizing these On-line meetings are easy and fill a need but in person get-togethers are still the best way to interact with each other.

Webinars and LinkedIn

Our monthly webinars—both local and from OCCA UK—help to keep members informed and connected.

We’re proud to be part of a global organisation headquartered in the UK. This allows us to tap into a rich source of professional content and support.

I’d like to highlight the Members Area on our website— as well as on the UK site. Here, members can access a library of recorded webinars covering valuable technical topics and introductions to new products and raw materials.

In South Africa, we have presented and recorded almost monthly, webinars for the last 5 years and have built an impressive library of talks on various subjects.

Thanks to all the presenters, local and international, who generously contribute their time and knowledge. Your efforts make a real difference.

This year we have started publishing extracts of our webinars and other information on our LinkedIn page.

We are receiving more requests for information via our web page and try to answer all questions as best as possible.  

Looking ahead to next year, we will continue to focus on education, collaboration (with partners like The Corrosion Institute), and accessible learning through webinars and technical meetings.

We’re also aiming to expand our membership and encourage more members to apply for professional recognition:

• Licentiate (LTSC)
• Associate (ATSC)
• Fellow (FTSC)

These titles honour professional development and industry contribution.

Closing and Appreciation

Thank you to all OCCA members for your continued support. Please stay involved—share your ideas, participate in webinars, and help grow our Association.

To the OCCA SA committee and the Section committees —my sincere thanks. Your support and professionalism have been invaluable. I couldn’t carry out my role without your dedication.

A special thanks also to Andre Erasmus in assisting with our Web page and LinkedIn posts

I’ve offered to serve another term as Vice President, and I look forward to working with you all in the year ahead.

Take care and let 2025/26 be a successful and fulfilling year for us all.

Thank you.

Evert Bolt
Vice President, OCCA SA Division