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chapter 5
FOUNDING OF GRAIN SA
Founding Congress
It was decided that the founding congress of the new organisation would be held
on 10 June 1999. This would be preceded by the dissolution congresses of NAM-
PO, NOPO, the WPO and the SPO on 9 June 1999.
Notice of the founding of the new organisation was sent to all the members of
NAMPO, NOPO, the SPO and WPO by the end of March 1999. Notices of the final
congresses of the four organisations were sent to the respective members of each
organisation. NAMPO and NOPO held their final congresses at NAMPO Park near
Bothaville, and those of the WPO and SPO were held in Pretoria.
All the delegates to the final congresses of the respective organisations were in-
vited to attend the founding congress of the new organisation on 10 June 1999 as
observers. Each of the organisations also had the opportunity to nominate a num-
ber of guests of honour and observers who were invited too.
The Congress consisted of delegates nominated on a regional basis on the grounds
of the production base of the respective commodities. The principle was also
accepted that an independent person would co-ordinate the proceedings during
the founding congress on 10 June 1999. Mr Peet van Zyl of the firm of attorneys
Hofmeyr Herbstein was then appointed to act as independent Chairperson of the
Congress until the Congress had been duly constituted and a Chairperson and
Vice-chairpersons for the new organisation had been elected.
As planned, the founding Congress took place at NAMPO Park on 10 June 1999.
The following office bearers were elected at the Congress:
• Mr Japie Grobler (unopposed) – Chairperson
• Mr Bully Botma (after election) – Vice-chairperson
Three nominations had been received for the office of Vice-chairperson, namely:
• Bully Botma (Previously NAMPO)
• Gert Pretorius (Previously NOPO)
• Andries Beyers (Previously WPO)
Botma was elected as Vice-chairperson of the organisation by a majority of votes.
The newly elected Chairperson then continued to guide the Congress through the
process of decision-making, which included:
Mr Weyni Deysel, cartoonist for
Mielies/
Maize
for more than 23 years, and later
for
SA Graan/Grain
, portrayed the spirit
of unification very accurately in this car-
toon, which appeared in November 1999.
Messrs Pieter Morkel (SPO), Gert Pretorius
(NOPO), Andries Beyers (WPO) and Japie
Grobler (NAMPO) take hands.
Mr Peet van Zyl, who acted as independent
Chairperson of the GPO’s first congress
until it had been duly constituted and new
leadership had been elected.