CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2002

The year 2002 saw a further consolidation of SAMET and some expansion into North West Province as well as the fairly radical structural changes outlined below.

A major step forward was the acquisition of property in Bordeaux from which the organisation now operates. The saving in the long term by not paying rental and the easier accessibility to our office in a more secure area with suitable parking. The Property has many benefits, among which includes saving of rental fees.

A further major development was an agreement reached with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra to share resources in terms of office facilities, administration and teaching staff. Through the “Adopt a Musician” project SAMET now benefits by getting additional teachers at no extra cost, whilst the JPO is able to structure the scheme in a tax efficient way. The contribution by the JPO to the running costs of the new office premises means that we are now paying less to purchase our own property than we were previously paying in rental.

During the course of the year Shadrack Bokaba took over as Executive Director from Jennifer Williams who will now concentrate or her fund-raising activities. Shadrack is an accomplished musician and music educator who plays violin with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Pam Seiler left for Cape Town and was replaced by Erika Ansermino whose services SAMET shares with the JPO as financial controller. Dieter Bergs returned to SAMET as chairperson of the Finance Committee and Mimi Coertse continued in her role as chairperson of the Education and development Committee. Rudolph van Dyk, one of the “adopted” JPO musicians, joined our Part-time staff teaching percussion and managing our recently acquired music library and percussion instruments resource.

Our expansion into the North West Province was greatly assisted by Walter Mosetlhi, a we were able to establish a “Learnership” Programme in for people of Taung, Mafikeng and Lehurutsh (Zeerust) with twelve teachers receiving training. All provincial projects at the various Mmabana Centres are now managed by SAMET and additional sixty children are receiving music education. Through Walter Mosetlhi, SAMET was able to arrange the storage use of the music library and percussion instrument that belonged to the now disbanded National Chamber Orchestra. These resources are of tremendous use to both SAMET and the JPO.

Once again I must stress that the work done by SAMET is of necessity ‘Long-term’, it is a process. It takes up to fifteen years to produce a well trained orchestra musician, and in order to provide such training we require a corps of experienced musicians available to SAMET. All the instruments in an Orchestra must be represented by the available staff, and the on-going “brain-drain” of our musicians is of great concern.

In order to fulfil the aspirations of our students it is necessary that they gain experience of playing in an orchestra from a young age, and that there be a career path open to them through the establishment of a permanent, Professional Orchestra.

Despite the absence of government funding for SAMET government recognizes the service SAMET provides. Both the Ministers of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology and Education have endorsed and applauded SAMET in the course of regular contact, which is maintained between SAMET and their departments. Indeed, the Education Ministers, Professor Kader Asmal, said in a recent letter to us : ”Organisations like SAMET, with its proven track record and acknowledged commitment to education, have proven invaluable in assisting us with the vital process of redressing the past.” “…SAMET’s efforts would be impossible without financial and other support. I would therefore urge any body in a position to contribute to this most worthy cause in the interest of our young people, who are after all our country’s future.”

As it initiates Projects, SAMET’s implicit promise to the children in disadvantaged areas is that it will sustain the educational process through to completion. The challenge for SAMET is to honour its implicit promise against explicit commitments of sponsorships and donations of a year or two.

Michael Hankinson
Chairman, SAMET

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