KWAZULU NATAL AGM
Date: 19 May 2026
Venue: Victoria Country Club, Pietermaritzburg
Fun Golf Day followed by the AGM

EASTERN CAPE AGM
Date: 21 May 2026
Venue: The Taste Room, Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha
Wine & Curry pairing evening.

NORTHERN BRANCH AGM
Date: 7 May 2026
Venue: Afrique Boutique Hotel
Speaker: Bright Rwodzi, Technical Sales Executive, Dunlop Belting Products
Topic: Fire resistant Conveyor Belting in South Africa: A comparison between Large Scale Fire Propagation and a Mid-Scale Fire propagation test

37TH FOUNDATION LECTURE

Date: 24 March 2026
Venue: The aha Gateway Hotel, Umhlanga, KZN
Lecturer 1: 2020 William Sage Medallist, Collin Stroberg, Managing Director: Nuvo Rubber Compounders
Topic: The Light or a Train
Lecturer 2: 2026 William Sage Medallist, Johnathan David, Manufacturing Director: Bandag Southern Africa
Topic: Insight into Retreadability and New tyre decline in South Africa

36TH FOUNDATION LECTURE

Date: Wednesday 13 March 2024
Venue: The Kiplings Restaurant, Boardwalk Hotel, Port Elizabeth, Gqeberha
Lecturer: Mr Leslie Bengover, Director, National Rubber Matmin
Topic: The "Incremental Improvement Concept" - the cornerstone of building and maintaining a competitive edge

25TH NATIONAL RUBBER CONFERENCE - MAY 2023

A very successful National Rubber Conference took place from 17 - 20 May 2023 at the Cathedral Peak Hotel in the Drakensberg.

Click here to download the academic programme

During the opening of the conference, National Executive Chair, Kerry Kirkman, handed over the Chairmanship to Prof Percy Hlangothi.  Our thanks to Kerry for her years of service as the National Executive Chair.  

Awards handed out at the Gala Dinner went to the following:

-  John Tallant Award: Kerry Kirkman

-  Best Speaker Award, 1st Place: Chris Woolard, University of Stellenbosch

-  Best Speaker Award, 2nd Place: Atupele Anisa Bunu and Bongho Ngxovu, Nelson Mandela University

Kerry Kirkman handing over the Chairmanship to Prof Percy Hlangothi                         Kerry Kirkman receiving the John Tallant Medal

Best Speakers receiving their awards from Percy Hlangothi                                        1st Session speakers: Chris Woolard, Jabulani Mnyango, Victoria Pajares

 Sue Supersar and Tony Hesp enjoying the Conference                                              Social Event Decor

 Views                                                                                                                            The conference Room

Gala Dinner decor                                                                                                        Views

FOUNDATION LECTURE 2022

The 35th Foundation Lecture, which was scheduled for March 2020, was finally held on 23 March 2022 at the Prote Hotel by Marriot, O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg. We had 88 guests RSVPing, which is the highest number we have had in many years.  Three international guests also came to South Africa for the event, and we welcomed our Young Persons' Lecture Competition Winner as a guest.

This year's William Sage Medal recipient was Jack Doherty, stalwart of the Rubber Industry and a mentor to many over the years.  Jack gave a presentation called "An unlikely career change - or - how I stumbled into the rubber industry".  It was really interesting and very humorous.

Many thanks to the sponsors for contributing to a successful event. 

Medal recipient Jack Doherty and                   
IOM3 National President, Kerry Kirkman

         Rob McQueen, Grant Rosettenstien, Muriel and Jack Doherty             Juan Pike, Xavier Guitart, Viv Pike                        Wendy Knott-Craig and Andre Cornelius

KZN MEMBER EVENT - 24 FEBRUARY 2022

KZN hosted a member event at the Victoria Country Club in Pietermaritzburg on 24 February 2022.  The topic for the evening was: 

Overview of The Si Group and Product Portfolio with applications to the local industry.

Speakers were Mr. Demitri Loukidis (in person) and Mr Didier Pluquin (Via Teams)

EASTERN CAPE AGM AND STUDENT EVENING

Date: 2 December 2021

Venue: PE St George's Club

The evening took the format of the Annual General Meeting where an overview of the past year was presented.  Thereafter local Nelson Mandela University students presented an update on their PhD's:

Victor Agbakoba: Design and development of bio-based filament from cellulose nanofibres and biopolymers for 3d printing applications

Bothwell Nyon: A comparison of the pyrolytic behaviour of coal and tyres

Our thanks to Nelson Mandela University and Carst & Walker for sponsoring the event 

THE CABOT STUDENT EVENING 2019