The President, Mr Chris de Jager (CdJ), welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2.APOLOGIES   &   PROXIES:

Apologies   :   None Received.  

Proxies   :   None.

Attendance   :   As per attendance register - Annexures 1 & 2      

There being a quorum present, the President (CdJ) declared the meeting properly constituted.
CdJ informed the meeting that in future all reports would be on the SAJCA website.

3.ACCEPTANCE   OF   MINUTES   OF   2003   AGM:

The minutes of the 2003 AGM had been emailed to all Regions.
Henk Hoek (GN) proposed that they be accepted and Kobus Swanepoel (FS) seconded the proposal.

4.MATTERS   ARISING   FROM   PREVIOUS   MINUTES:

4,1 The Outstanding Goudini Account :
CdJ informed the meeting that the lawyers have advised us not to take any action at this stage. Proof has been sent to Goudini and our lawyers have not had any response for the last 6 months. The money is being kept separate, just in case.

5.OFFICIAL   REPORTS:  

•  President's Report:

 CdJ presented his report.
•  BB pointed out that it was the third formal coaching weekend and not the first.
•  Andre Nel asked what the ratings were for the National Coaches.   CdJ replied that the highest was over 2 000 and that he did not know the others.
•  Wouter van Zijl (GJ) pointed out that the top coaches are not necessarily the best players and vice versa, because the skills are different.   The meeting agreed.
•  CdJ informed the meeting that SAJCA had put forward a list of coaches and the to Chessa and that they had turned down 2 of them and also that we had not received anything formally in writing in this regard and that he would take this matter to the Council meeting.  
•  Bernie Parkin (GS) said that we need guidelines and that our coaches need to be taught how to coach properly so that they can cover all aspects of coaching both on and off the board.   He mentioned 3 specific areas of coaching, namely Didactic, Physiology and Instructional Technique.   He also pointed out that the Government would assist in funding for the training of trainers.
•  Steve Jones (GE) asked if we are notifying them, then who appoints them. CdJ replied that we gave Chessa the nominations and they did not agree with them BUT with no guidelines (despite having requested them at the Chessa, SAJCA, USSASA meeting last year) in place, it makes it very difficult for us.
•  Chris Taylor (CT) explained that we have to go through our National Body for ratification to be taken to the Sports Commissioner for colours.   And that we have not been able to get the guidelines from Chessa and had received no feedback in writing.
•  Steve Jones (GE) again said that he wanted to know if a pattern was emerging with regard to Chessa being dictorial.
•  Roland Willenberg said that in his opinion he thought that Chessa just wanted the representation to be correct.
•  Dirk Mare (GN) asked which point we were on - 5.5.1. or 5.1.
•  CdJ informed the meeting that Chessa had replaced a black coach with a coloured coach.

Chris Taylor (KZN) proposed that the report be accepted and Kobus Swanepoel (FS) seconded the proposal.

•  Financial Report:

 Marius Mostert (MM) presented his report and informed the meeting that the audited report was not available as yet and that there would be a special meeting later in the tournament to finalise this.
•  MM pointed out that only 1% of SAJCA's money goes to admin and that the balance goes to the players for International Participation.
•  MM reported that all Regions had paid their affiliation fees on time and thanked the Regions for their co-operation.  
•  Mark January asked that the report be distributed as a hard copy as not everyone has access to email at the tournament.
•  MM asked the meeting if they felt that officials and players involved with International Participation should be fully funded. The meeting agreed that his should only happen if funds were available.   MM said this should be our vision.   BP seconded the motion and it was carried.
•  CdJ pointed out that one of the items on the Chessa Agenda with regard to SAJCA was the excess funds.   He was of the opinion that our money should be given back to the Juniors and was concerned that they (as the mother body) might want to have access to this money.   The meeting agreed that the money should be for the juniors only.
•  Roland Willenberg said that he had been affected because one of his sons was not able to go overseas due to a lack of funds.
•  Andre Nel asked what the cost to the players was for Greece this year.   MM responded that the cost of the officials was approximately R15 to 16 000-00 per official.
•  CT asked if this was for a sponsored person.   MM said no.   He further stated that the cost of the coaching weekend should also be funded by SAJCA.                          

•  Development Report:   (Annexure 4)

CdJ told the meeting that there was no report.
•  CdJ stated that we had requested 2 reports from each region and non had been forthcoming and that Joe Mahomole (JM) had been uncontactable for the year and that this situation would be addressed at the first Exec Meeting and asked if the meeting would agree that the Executive co-opt someone to fulfill this role.   CT proposed that this be accepted and Pieter Nel (GE) seconded the proposal.
•  MM said that we should ask the meeting if they had any nominations for this role.
•  CT informed the meeting that JM had informed him in September that he was out of chess and that he had been trying to get hold of him since April.
•  CdJ asked for a development report from each Region for the past year as well as for 2005. •  Bernie Parkin (GS) presented a short report - Annexure 3 .   CdJ thanked him for his views.
•  Phillip Mashane (GS) asked if there was a standerdised format for development reporting.   MM suggested that we incorporate this onto the website and make it simple for everyone.
•  Dirk Mare (GN) said that in order to get funding you needed reports and development plans and that this should be on the website as well.
•  Roland Willenberg said that Chess Western Province gets funding from the local government for development and that we needed a development officer to co-ordinate the management of development.
•  MM said we also needed to set well defined goals for growth, especially if we want to host International Tournaments as well as update our equipment. •  CdJ informed the meeting that most of the above had been raised with Chessa at the Nationals last year and that nothing had been done.

•  Reports on International Participation: (Annexures 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9)

•  World U20 Championships
Kobus Swanepoel (FS) proposed that the report be accepted and Bernie Parkin (GS) seconded the proposal.
•  World Youth Chess Festival
Kobus Swanepoel (FS) proposed that the report be accepted and Emelia Ellappen (WP) seconded the proposal. 5.4.3.    
African Junior Tournament  
Not received yet.   It will be presented at the next AGM.

CdJ informed the meeting that SAJCA had contributed R6 000-00 in total for the players that went to the U16 Olympiad.

•  Technical Committee:

CT presented his report.   Annexure 4
•  He further informed the meeting that not all Regions responded to emails and that they did not notify SAJCA of changes in contact details, which made it very difficult for us to communicate with the Regions.
•  Steve Jones said that email was not always reliable.
•  With regard to where the National winners must come from - The meeting agreed that they must definitely come from the Nationals.
•  Roland Willenberg proposed that the prize giving for the Nationals be separated for the 2 events.   Gunther van den Berg seconded the proposal and the meeting agreed that this would be implemented in 2005.
•  MM proposed to the meeting that at the prize giving only the names of the board prize winners be read out and that the medals would be given to the Regional Reps to distribute later.   The meeting unanimously agreed and stated that it should be implement immediately.
•  North West asked about the Reserves and if they could play with the Team.   CT said no because this would increase the size of the teams.
•  Wouter van Zijl (GJ) agreed with NW and said that the result on the Reserve board would not count.   CT responded that this could only work if every Region brought 1 Reserve per age group and this was not the case.
•  CT said that the Technical Committee would look into this.

CT to formulate the proposals and circulate before the end of the tournament with a due date for replies.

•  SELECTION   CRITERIA  

CdJ presented the minor changes (Annexure 5) for the purposed of clarity and transparency, i.e.
1.         2.2        Last paragraph; and
2.         2.3.       Defining the age.

•  CdJ asked the Regions to inform all their players of these Criteria.
•  Dirk Mare (GN) asked about the issue of colours - 2.1.1.5. & 2.1.2. - because they are all playing in the same tournament.   CdJ explained about the colours and the Sports Commission.   This can only be done via the Senior Body and this is on the Agenda for the Chessa meeting.
•  Gauteng South pointed out that there were no criteria for the appointment of officials to go overseas.   CdJ said we were waiting for guidelines from Chessa and asked the Regions to get prospective candidates to submit their C.V.'s.
•  Steve Jones referred to the Chessa constitution - paragraph ??? and compared it to the SAJCA Selection Criteria and again pointed out that Chessa is dictating to SAJCA.   CdJ said that we are an affiliate body and therefore should not be dictated to. They should rather be providing guidance.
•  MM stated that we need clear guidelines in order to interface properly.
•  CdJ said he was concerned and would be bringing these concerns up at the Chessa Meeting because we want to work together to improve everything.
•  MM proposed that Steve Jones and CdJ take the Selection document in the spirit of which it was intended and articulate it - BB seconded the proposal.
•  GE advised the meeting that a new body, the "Sports Confederation" comes into being on the 31 st of May 2005 .   This body will be replacing the Sports Commission and maybe we should use this as an interim document until the new body is in place.
•  Bernie Parkin (GS) said we need to use the Sports Commission in conjunction with Chessa's guidance/approval.
•  CdJ said we need to continue as is until the new body is in place.   The meeting agreed.
•  Steve Jones said we should read the documentation with regard to the new body and that he would supply us with a copy of it.
•  Andre Nel said there was already selection criteria in place for officials and asked if this could not be added.   CdJ said we were still waiting for the guidelines.
•  Dirk mare supported Andre and said it would take forever for Chessa to give us the guidelines and it would be easier for them to criticise something already in place rather than wait for something new from them.

•  BORDERS:

CdJ suggested that a sub-committee be appointed to look into the border issue so as to resolve, that is, to find a workable solution without disrupting the game, in terms of what Chessa has proposed. Bernie Parkin (GS) point out that this was a Chessa matter and the meeting agreed.

7.CONSTITUTIONAL   AMENDMENTS:

None received.

8.CHESSA   INTERACTION:  

•  Proposed Changes to the Chessa Constitution
Not yet received, therefore, we cannot comment.

•  Entry Fees for International Participation
Chessa has always paid the fees for the National winners for International Participation.   However, for this year they had only paid for Greece and not for India and Zambia as they have no money.   The meeting agreed that we would pay them for this year and go back to the Status Quo next year.

•  USSASA
Omar Esau apparently missed his plane and could not make the meeting.

9.FUTURE   NATIONAL   JUNIOR   TOURNAMENTS:  

• SAJCC2005 & SAJC2006
  Although NW had the bid for SAJCC2005, they had informed SAJCA that due to a re-shuffling of the committee, they would not be in a position to host SAJCC2005.   They have, however, asked if they can bid for 2006.   GN informed the meeting that they had already submitted a bid for 2006.   BB asked all parties to submit their bids in writing to her.   All parties agreed.   GN later complied -   Annexure 6

Eastern Province was offered SAJCC2005 and they accepted.   BB asked for the acceptance in writing and they later complied - Annexure 7. .  

10.GENERAL:  

• African Youth Tournament
  The meeting agreed that we should investigate the possibility of putting in a bid via Chessa.

Conduct of Players/Officials at the SAJCC
Wouter van Zijl presented a report with regard to the incident involving Adam Earle at the Nationals last year - Annexure 8.
•  Wouter further stated that he was extremely unhappy about the way one specific member of Chessa had handled this entire situation.
•  Bernie Parkin praised Wouter for the way he handled and presented the problem.
•  CdJ would present it in the same way at the Chessa Meeting.
•  MM said that parties must be careful of who gets correspondence when there are problems, in other words, that correspondence goes to the correct people.

Gauteng East Name Change
The meeting agreed that this was a matter for the Chessa meeting.

11.ELECTION   OF   EXECUTIVE:  

CdJ informed the meeting that both BB and MM had decided to make themselves available for anther term of office and they were therefore re-elected unopposed.

THERE   BEING   NO   FURTHER   BUSINESS,   THE   PRESIDENT   CLOSED   THE   MEETING   AT   17h30.