Wikimedia South Africa/Operational Meeting 22 August 2023

WMZA Operational Meeting 22 August 2023 Previous Minutes:

Attendees

• Michael Graaf
• Jan-Hendrik du Toit
• Bobby Shabangu
• Nobantu Modise
• Shupai Mchuchu

Apologies

• Douglas Scott
• Ingrid Thomson
• Khetiwe Marais
• Deon Steyn

Agenda

General Updates

• Wikimania Update: Wikimania took place in Singapore for the annual Wikimania conference which took place on the 16th till the 19th of August 2023. Jan, gave a brief update of the Wikimania conference . A week was spent in Singapore. It was an incredible experience and to get an opportunity to network with other Wikimedians.

Jan atended the Wikimedia 2030 Strategy Workshop, the Art+Feminidm West African Indigenous Language Program, multiple Wikisource workshops, a panel discussion on AI and Wikimedia projects, a Bashkir Wikipedia lecture, a talk on Decolonization of the Ukrainian Wikipedia, and the relaunch on HealthCare translation as well Douglas' discussion on NC Commons. We need to increase the African scholarship so more African Wikimedians can attend Wikimania conference. The Chapter is supporting the Nairobi community to have a successful Wikimania in 2025.

• Financial Payment meeting.
• Will be taking place this Thursday 24 August 2023 at 11 am. Members are free to join and all invited. Members are to send in their claims before the finance meeting.
• AGM Retreat Committee: 15-18 November
• Wikipedia DH-Ignite 23-24 August (https://dh-ignite.org/)
• Bobby will be attending the 2 day event. As the Chapter has partnered with Sadilar, we will be attending another partnered event with Sadilar in September which will be held on 20 September 2023 and that will be the SWIP Launch. Bobby and Jan will be attending this event in person and Ingrid online.

Hackathon

• A special prospect on an board meeting decision, to be made at the board meeting and not be postponed.
• Michael needs a scholarship to be agreed upon his scholarship for WikiIndaba 2023.
• To fast track this decision he needs to start an email and this decision can be made without waiting for the board, as it stipulates in the constitution.

Facebook

• Our Social Media ahs not been working since last year in October. This is a platform we utilize to engage members with our community. We have other social media platforms, but most of our community members are on Facebook. We have been trying different ways of getting it up and running again.
• A Suggestions of a way forward, its either to shut it down and open a new account.
• Members were asked to find ways to get a new account, and who we can speak to on getting a new account, as we are not sure as to who whom we can speak to in regards to the issue and the processes involved in getting a new account.
• Shupai to find who is the administrator of the current account as Nobantu and Bobby have been removed as administrators
• Whoever is the administrator to shut it down
• Shupai to remind Bobby to fund out who he can speak to in regards to our Facebook account.

Next Meeting

• Our next Ops and Board meeting will be held on 5 September 2023