The Informer issue 1, 2014 - Insurance Institute of Gauteng

ISSUE 1 • MAY 2014
The nformer
New President welcomed
at traditional dinner
Justin Naylor
CONTENTS
Council Dinner,
Education2
Inaugural Dinner
3, 4, 5
Breakfast Seminar
6
Technology
finally
arrives at
the IIG
If you cannot beat
them, join them! The IIG
Council decided that
technology is important
in the advancement
of its objectives, as
well as reaching out to
members. Please visit
our website at
www.iig.co.za
Like our
Facebook page
and tweet us
@IIGauteng
As is tradition, the newly appointed Council
gathers at a dinner hosted by the President
after the Annual General Meeting. This year
was no exception.
The tranquil suburb of Parktown welcomed
council members and their partners on 27
February 2014. The hosting of the council
dinner at Villa Arcadia signaled the changing
of the guard, the first meeting of old and
new council members with a common goal
of serving the industry and keeping the
spirit of the industry alive and aligned.
Villa Arcadia was built in 1909 for Sir Lionel
Phillips and his wife by Sir Herbert Baker
and Massey. It was befitting that the event
took place within a 105 year-old building
surrounded by the history of the formation
of Johannesburg with views across Rosebank
and Sandton. Co-incidentally the Insurance
Institute of Gauteng (IIG) is 103 years old. If the
IIG were a building, then the Heritage Plaque
would have been placed outside the door.
The only way that we see the Heritage
Plaque placed on the IIG, is by the quality
of Past Presidents, Council members, and
members of the industry that are represented
and that serve the industry. Their dedication
has shaped the industry.
Justin Naylor is no exception. As the
incoming President of the IIG for 2014,
he believes in the history and the legacy
of the industry. Justin outlined his plan
for 2014 with education at the forefront
of his strategic view. Justin believes that
with education, we can address the needs
of the individuals within the industry and
hopefully see the industry address its
challenges of which if left unchecked, will
manifest themselves.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the
most powerful weapon which you can use
to change the world.”
See pictures of the Council Dinner on page 2.
The nformer
ISSUE 1 • MAY 2014
Council Dinner 2014 Insurance people
are not boring
Developmental training top priority
BY James B Young
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One tends to overlook the fact that the
technologies and scientific breakthroughs
that have occurred during the last few
decades have brought society face to
face with the fact that man has a wealth
of latent powers; that we are capable of
incredible flexibility and transcendence.
This should assist us in facing the
transformation that is required of us daily.
People in business around the world are
hyper-aware of having to make quantum
changes in transforming virtually every
aspect of the way in which their business
has traditionally been run. Why do some stay
one step ahead of the game while others are
still clinging desperately to the past?
When last did you do a SWOT analysis
on yourself? When last did you evaluate
the weaknesses and threats that you
pose to the organisation or environment?
An individual, who rebuilds his or her
self-esteem and integrity will have
the emotional capacity for personal
confrontation and be able to address
such issues.
Where do you find yourself on a scale
of 1 to 10 when it comes to your selfesteem? Let me tell you, there is no better
way to enhance or to rebuild your selfesteem than to educate yourself. Not by
force, not by law but willingly.
Our country needs people with
emotional maturity. To achieve this,
developmental training must be at the
top of your agenda.
To be able to clear the highest
crossbeam one frequently sees an
Olympic high jumper taking one step
backwards before commencing his or
her approach to jump envisaging one
thing only – the gold medal. Likewise we
should perhaps take one step backwards
envisaging the challenge of obtaining
good and proper, perhaps the best
education, training, skills and learning in
our industry.
Some 50 years ago the only official
insurance education was provided by the
Chartered Insurance Institute of London
by way of distance learning. Only later
the Insurance Institute of South Africa
was established, offering the same
educational facilities and rewarding
successful students with AIISA and FIISA
qualifications.
Today we have the Insurance Institute
of South Africa and other insurance
educational service providers like UNISA
that offer classroom and/or distance
learning facilities.
Your employer cannot be solely kept
under the barrel of the gun for your
unwillingness to educate yourself. There
are many opportunities in the insurance
environment to obtain proper education.
Don’t let these opportunities slip through
your fingers.
On deciding to take up the challenge
to educate yourself you will become
somebody instead of being somebody.
By making a difference you almost earn
the position of a leader, either in your
field of expertise or in society.
(James B Young, B.Com(Hons) FIISA, Past President
Insurance Institute of North Gauteng.)
It has always been my view that insurance
practitioners are boring people; all they
focus on is risk and the management
of risk in all its forms. It is also true that
I am not the only one who holds this
view; many within the insurance industry
support my theory.
But I was wrong! On 6 March, 453
members of the IIG gathered at Monte
Casino in Madame Zingara’s tent of dreams.
Music playing, conversations flowing,
delicious food on the tables, weirdly
dressed and looking waiters and waitresses.
It was networking at its best!
The insurance industry is very
conventional. The norm is that
the President’s Inaugural Dinner is
accompanied by black suites and ladies
dressed elegantly. Usually a formal venue
with elegant tables and décor to “die” for
are chosen. I suppose the rain ushered in
the change! Who would have ever thought
that the dinner would take place in a
theatre of dreams? Suites were replaced by
casual clothes, shorts, jeans and the like.
The ladies were dressed elegantly.
Comedians, face painting and a lot of
selfies were the order of the day.
The Master of Ceremonies for the night
was the hot comedian Mr MC. He brought
some balance to the occasion. However,
in my view he looked more risky and I
wondered if he was insured.
Michael Dash walked to the stage to
perform his last official duty and awarded
Kim Gallus the IIG Counsellor of the Year.
The award is given to someone who has
performed his or her duties for the IIG in
exemplary fashion.
Then it was time for the official hand over.
Justin Naylor and Marguerite McGrath were
asked to join Michael on stage. As Justin
ascended the stage, I could not help but
overhear one of the members comment
on the age difference, “Justin, must be the
youngest President ever for the IIG”.
Marguerite (the IIG Fairy Godmother)
then proceeded with the handover from
Michael to Justin. Justin then presented
Michael with his Past Presidents badge.
In his acceptance of office, Justin said
that, his Presidency will follow no theme,
however his focus will be on education,
the development of the class of 2014, to
give back to the insurance industry and to
create an opportunity for young people to
become part of this prestigious industry,
an industry with a rich history and talent
that needs to be given an opportunity to
make a difference.
Justin went on to introduce the new
council for 2014, a council that will work
with him to drive the strategic objectives of
the IIG.
The council members are:
President – Justin Naylor
Deputy President – Zuriel Naiker
Vice President – Tracy McLaughlin
Council members: Colin Moodley,
Colleen Peter, Gerald van Wyk, Herman
Moloi, Kim Gallus (Past President),
Marguerite
McGrath
(Administrative
and Events Co-ordinator), Mashudu
Mamathuba, Michael Dash (Out Going
President), Michael Pierce, Olivia Smith,
Roy McGrath (Past President), Tracy Feakes,
Warwick Scott-Rodger and Winston
Skosana (Past President).
With the official events completed, the
night of enchantment and dreams began.
The members were entertained by a various
lineup of fabulous acts coupled with superb
service of delicious fare. All in the name of
Insurance and Intelligent Networking.
3
The nformer
ISSUE 1 • MAY 2014
Thank you to our sponsors:
4
AND CO-sponsors:
5
The nformer
ISSUE 1 • MAY 2014
Politics discussed
at breakfast seminar
BY Herman Moloi
On 1 April 2014, a day normally reserved
for jokes and pranks, the IIG hosted a
breakfast seminar at The Venue in Melrose
Arch. It was attended by 184 members of
the insurance industry.
South Africans voted on 7 May and with
this in mind Justice Malala, Chester Missing the Puppet and his associate Conrad
Kock were invited by the IIG to present The
Unfolding Political Landscape and a Guide
to the Elections for Dummy’s respectively.
Justice is popularly known as the host of
the Justice Factor, a weekly show that focuses on the political news of the moment.
Justice has interviewed presidents, politicians and corporate leaders. The IIG invited
Justice to give a view on the current political climate as well as challenges and the future of South Africa post the elections.
He maintained that we should not
be too worried around issues that impact the president, the public protector,
nor the failed marriage between the DA
and Agang or the rise to power of Julius
6
Malema and the EFF. What South Africans
should be asking themselves is the following: The various institutions that were set
to address the security of South Africa, are
they working and effective?
Is the public protector’s office efficient, are
the police responsible and doing the right
things? State securities, are these agencies
being used correctly and serving the interest of the population of South Africa or are
they being misused or manipulated?
In response to the question, Justice felt
that the police are not accountable; this is
due to the recent human rights abuses by
the institution that should be protecting its
citizens. The public protector’s office has
shown its resilience and the impact that it
has by investigating and pronouncing on
issues that are of great concern to South
Africans. The judiciary is also effective and
consistent. Justice voiced his concerns
around the Hawks ineffectiveness. Justice
believes that the Scorpions were more effective in their role and they should be
brought back to deal with current issues.
Justice touched on the impact of legisla-
tion on insurance. The introduction of POPI,
the labour relations amendment bill, infrastructure development bill and the restitution of lands rights amendment bill. Finally
he touched on the economy and its slow
growth at 1.9% which is a concern. Continuous labour unrests coupled with service delivery protests became a point of discussion.
After the serious discussions, it was time
for a light moment with Chester Missing
the puppet. Chester is a puppet political
analyst from Rondebosch in Cape Town.
Or is it Conrad Koch whose from Rondebosch and Chester from the Cape Flats? Be
that as it may, Chester did not disappoint!
His ego is greater than his suitcase and
he bars no punches. The audience never
stopped laughing with every humorous
comment that came from Chester and his
ability to converse in almost 11 of South
Africa’s languages. At the end of Chester’s
presentation, Justin Naylor the IIG President and Chester were good friends and
on a first name basis.
Our thanks extend to Africa Re, Marsh
and Tracker for their support and sponsorship of the event.
7
Lower costs, Higher Profits
and less Accidents Now
a Reality for Insurers
Tracker has recently completed a year-long case study which demonstrates that improved driver behaviour and effective vehicle
management and utilisation decreases the average travel time, fuel costs and accidents. This results in better-controlled
expenses and improved operating costs, and ultimately an increase in business profitability.
Technology now enables a company to mitigate its vehicle risk in a number of key ways. By providing a state-of-the-art tracking
and telematics solution, allowing the fleet manager or the company’s management to safeguard that their vehicles are being
used optimally. This includes helping to dispatch drivers to delivery addresses in the quickest and most cost-effective manner
possible (in-cab navigation via live traffic conditions, as an example).
Tracker's Business Insurance Head, Sandra Page, "We have seen an increase in the average distance travelled and a decrease in
the Cost per Kilometre of fleets across the case study. What this clearly shows is that when vehicles are used as productively and
as cost-effectively as possible running costs are reduced, efficiencies improved and delivery deadlines are met. Also, by
identifying abusive and wasteful driving practices, such as harsh braking, speeding and excessive idling, not only are costs curbed,
but vehicles can potentially be saved from accidents."
The Human factor
Technology can do most things these days, but driving is still susceptible to human error. And some of us are better at it than
others. Where poor driving habits have been flagged, a company can intervene and rehabilitate the driver in question. Continuous
monitoring can ensure that the driver does not revert back to his dangerous (and costly) ways. Now consider the effect of this sort
of intervention applied across a company with several hundred vehicles. Depending on the business, the savings
(month-on-month) could run into millions. Particularly when one considers the cost of accidents and vehicle downtime.
"To illustrate the significant impact effective fuel/driver and vehicle management can have on operating costs through, a fleet of
approximately 500 vehicles' total cost of operation averages R70 million a year. Decrease the operating cost by 10% and the
savings are significant," says Page.
There are several ways that the technology addresses dodgy driving by employees and private individuals. One such example is
by building a number of customised ‘Insurer Driver Behavioural Scorecards’. These scorecards provide insurers with the means to
encourage and reward responsible driving and offer consumers an opportunity to be compensated financially for driving safely. In
this way, both parties benefit.
So, innovative insurers and under-pressure intermediaries can now look to add value by impacting the bottom line of their clients.
This should bring much needed relief and considered excitement to the industry as a whole.
INSURANCE
ONE BUTTON FOR A MILLION
EMERGENCIES.
At Tracker we don’t just recover vehicles. We also give our customers
the ability to call for help at the touch of a button in case of an accident
or breakdown.
TRC/0142/E
To find out more go to tracker.co.za or call 0860 60 50 40.

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