Wikimedia South Africa/Operational Meeting 11 June 2024

WMZA Operational Meeting 28 May 2024

Previous Minutes:

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_South_Africa/Operational_Meeting_28_May_2024

Attendees

• Herschal Jackson (HJ)
• Michael Graaf (MG)
• Deon Steyn (DS)
• Ingrid Thomson (IT)
• Bobby Shabangu (BS)
• Khethiwe Marais (KM)

Apologies:

• Coenraad Loubser (CL)
• Jan Hendrick Du Toit (JD)
• Jeremiah Pieterson (JP)

Action Items

Action Item - HJ to finalise Accomodation for (MG) for SWiP Bloemfontein

Urgent Approval arranged from Financial Committee to secure accommodation.
Booking to be completed on the 12 June 2024

Action Item - (HJ) to test mailing list.

Required Access assigned to Mailing List Administration. Test to be completed by 14 June 2024

Action Item - application for full access to canva (Free for NGO's)

Application completed. Canva Templates to be shared once possible for translation into 10 official languages.

Action Item - Procure X2 Banners and Merchandise Pens/Flyers

Costing approved in previous Ops meeting on 28th May 2024. To be presented in next financial meeting and procured for upcoming events.

General Updates

Creation of proposed email addresses to initiate the chapter account alignment process (HJ)

• (HJ) mentions that access has been assigned to administrate chapters group accounts.
• (HJ) advises that 3 new accounts will be created as per approval at previous Operations Meeting, Namely Accounts@Wikimedia.org.za, Engage@wikimedia.org.za and Partnership@wikimedia.org.za. These accounts will be utilized for chapter accounts, social media accounts and engagement with partners for WikiIndaba respectively.
• (HJ) also elaborates on the addition of personal accounts of board members to the board group email to ensure that all pertinent information reaches the board members.
• (MG) mentions that he has previously received an notification around his chapter mail address but never logged in. He requests reset to enable login and forwarding.

Action Item - (HJ) to isolate inactive chapter accounts and assist Board members to login.''

Virtual Office Update (HJ)

• (HJ) confirms that isolated Vendor for Virtual office was approved in previous Operations meeting and that costing would be presented at next Finance Meeting for implementation by 1 July 2024.
• (BS) asks for clarity on why (CL) was against the virtual office implementation and explains to members on call the reasons for isolating a virtual office. (Requirements for physical address to enable removal of current address which is for a members home.)
• (BS) further advises that historically a Post box was utilised for the chapters address but this was cancelled and advises that (DIS) would be able to explain reasoning as he spearheaded the cancellation.
• (MG) confirms that the reasoning was related to CPIC not accepting postal addresses as business addresses.
• (HJ) explains that (CL) may have been confused as to the requirements, if they were only for address or additional.
• (HJ) further advises that the virtual office does not only provide a physical address but also provides a contact number and reception services with email to designated mail address with breakdown of engagement. The ability to accept small to medium parcels on behalf of the chapter and discounted rates on boardroom bookings.

WikiIndaba Update (BS)

• (BS) advises that approval on Budget is completed.
• (BS) further mentions that the international scholarships are closed and review of applicants is almost completed.
• (BS) confirms that 27 international scholars identified themselves for self-funding
• (BS) requests that social media presentation of local scholarships be implemented and that once the Call for proposals for WikiIndaba presentations opens that this be shared on all platforms as well.
• (MG) mentions that call for proposals is open and advises that he will share on the whatsapp group.
• (HJ) adds that Local Scholarships are open for application until the 28 June 2024 and also advises that WikiIndaba Communications team is working on a infographic for social media sharing and a banner for meta.

Wikimedia Botswana Boot-camp. (BS)

• (BS) advises participants that Wikimedia Botswana have invited Wikimedia South Africa to join them at their Bootcamp on the 14th tp the 15th June 2024.
• (BS) advises that Wikimedia Botswana have arranged accommodation for Wikimedia South Africa however could not cater for travel costs.
• (BS) advises that he will not be able to attend the 14th due to Visa preparations but that he will be attending on the 15th June 2024 and that he will be travelling to Botswana via bus.
• (BS) invites any chapter members to join him if available to attend the bootcamp and advises that they are welcome to travel with him via bus.
• (DS) advises that costing for bus is not to bad for distance being travelled.
• (HJ) advises that costing for flights to Botswana is approximately R4500 for return.

Account Admin review. (HJ)

• (HJ) advises participants that an account administrative review will be undertaken now that access is provided to him.
• (HJ) advises that it is necessary to review access to accounts periodically (Suggests annual review. and that legacy members with access are reviewed if no longer active and that new members are added.
• (BS) mentions that Operations meeting is open for any chapter member to join, ask questions and present ideas they are working on.
• (BS) request email be sent to all active Chapter members inviting them to the next Operations Meeting.
• (BS) sees this as ideal way to engage with the chapter and look to future.

Action Item - (HJ) to review the current access and provide breakdown and suggestion to board on way forward. Action Item - (HJ) to email All active Chapter members to invite them to the next Operations Meeting.

NYDA Project (BS)

• (BS) advises around the inception of the project and the delays which have occurred.
• (BS) advises that NYDA confusion around the requirements and the device requirements led to procurement of 20 Rasberry PI devices intended for use in schools which did not have computer labs.
• (BS) advises that intention of the project was two-fold:

1. firstly to provide an offline version of Wikipedia and Ted Talks, additionally also full curriculums to schools in Rural locations without internet connectivity. this would require setup by wikimedians from Wikimedia South Africa.
2. Secondly, to provide training to the schools in the workshop format on how to edit Wikipedia. Wikimedians from Wikimedia South Africa would be required for this.

• (BS) advises that procured rasberry pi devices had been returned and that NYDA team now require the devices. He mentions that he will procure the 20 which are required and handover to NYDA but then would not like to participate in this project if the Wikimedia South Africa Team proposes for the project to proceed.
• (MG) advises that he is interested running the project if it is managed in a professional manner.

Meeting Adjourned

Agenda Items not discussed (To Be Presented in next Ops Meeting:

• Merchandising Options (HJ)
• Virtual Card Update (BS)
• Question from Chapter Members
• Project Updates.

Next Operations Meeting

June 25 2024 7:00 pm