This is to inform all of you where we are at the moment pertaining to COTY and the restructuring of the SAGMJ.
Due to a number of reasons, the main reasons being COVID, Sponsors, and the revision of categories to “modernize” COTY and make it much more relevant to the Industry we could not follow the normal procedure and timeline for COTY.
This year the scoring will be done by a “Paper Jury” and no physical testing days will take place.
Categories have been revised to ensure that the ever-changing motor industry products are catered for. We have taken into consideration what is happening worldwide but also that South Africa’s mobility culture is different.
To further assist in simplifying the scoring system we are doing away with “weighting in total and also change the scoring to include the following”
This is possible through our unique online scoring system that all members take part in. This gives us not only the information needed for scoring but also for competitors in the specific categories.
Eligible vehicles will be published and make known for voting in the latter part of May 2021.
A timeline for the process thereafter will be made known to all parties concerned.
As far as sponsorships are concerned, the objective is to attract a “neutral” sponsor/s, strongly aligned or involved with the motor industry but with no vested interest in which type of vehicle or vehicle brand is declared the winner. Negotiations with potential sponsors meeting these requirements are currently in progress.
Our restructuring is really going well, slow at times, to ensure that the route we take and amendments to be proposed takes us into the future with the approval of the members and Industry’s buy-in.
One of the major areas that we have not kept relevant in previous years is our Web page and social media exposure. We have pulled out all stops to ensure that these essential media sectors will be modern and will enhance the services, products, and participation by members and consumers, and interested parties alike.
We are also busy working on a more flowing and governance compliance Constitution for both the SAGMJ and the Ben fund. Problems experienced and anomalies will be addressed.
As a matter of interest, this year’s AGM will take the form of a live meeting with limited attendance and then zoom facilities for all that cannot attend to be part of discussions and voting. The need for proxies will be very limited and will be for those that cannot attend or zoom in. Proxies will also from now on give full particulars as to who must be voted for.
I thank all the members and the Industry or their input and especially to the EXCO, the Committees, and the consultants, for their dedicated time and effort to make all of the above-mentioned changes possible.