Executive Committee
Marco
Biffi
Honorary Editor


He holds a BSc (Mech. Eng.) from Wits University in 1983; and a CoM CMEC (1987). He is registered as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of SA (1998); He currently is the Lead: Mine Ventilation, Technical and Sustainability, Group Mining, at Anglo American Operations (Pty) Ltd. He is experience in mine ventilation and cooling in gold, coal, platinum, diamond, copper, zinc and nickel mines in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, DRC, Burkina Faso, Canada and Australia. He is also a member of the S.A. Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the S.A. Institute of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
Morné
Beukes
Hon Chairman Education


He completed his Advanced Certificate in Mine Environmental Control in 1998 and moved to AngloGold in October of that year as Environmental Officer at Western Deep Levels Mponeng Mine. In 2000 he was promoted to Senior Environmental Safety and Health Officer of the Mponeng Deepening project and in 2004 he was promoted to Occupational Environmental Manager of Mponeng Gold Mine.
In 2007 he was promoted to Group Environmental Engineer for AngloGold Ashanti South African Region where he is still based. Morné also holds the Radiation Protection Certificate (Accredited) and Loss control and modern Safety management Certificate. Morné serves on of the Mine Occupational Health advisory Committee (MOHAC) and is the Chairman of the Chamber of Mines certificate in Mine Environmental Control Exam committee.
Elected Council Members
Branch Chairs on Council
Frank
von Glehn
International

Frank has been a member of the Society since 1983 and served as President in 1999/2000. He was admitted as an Honorary Life Fellow of the Society in 2015. In the early days of personal computers Frank distributed programmable calculator/computer programs to assist members with basic ventilation calculations and conducted courses for the branches.
Following 10 years at the Chamber of Mines Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Frank was a founding member of BBE Consulting in 1990 and has been involved with ventilation and cooling consulting since then. In 2001, at the 7th International Mine Ventilation Congress [IMVC] in Poland, Frank represented the Society in meetings of the International Congress Committee. In 2009 at the 9th IMVC the Society was elected to host the 10th IMVC in South Africa and Council requested Frank to chair the event. The third IMVC to be hosted by the Society was held at Sun City in August 2014.
Co-opted Members
Peter Huma


While in the ventilation department Peter obtained his MEC certificate in 1991 and Fundamental Management Certificate from UNISA in 1994. He joined the Society in 2009. At the beginning of 1997 Peter was seconded to Anglo American Head Quarters as a Group Hygienist mainly servicing De Beers mines outside of South Africa in Namibia, Botswana, Angola and Tanzania.
He was seconded to Finsch mine in 2002 where he was involved in ventilation planning for a new underground mining section until end of 2004 when he went on early retirement. In 2006 Peter joined the Department of Mineral Resources at Polokwane as an inspector – Occupational hygiene and was promoted to his current position of Occupational Hygiene Technical Advisor in 2008.
Past Presidents who have agreed to serve on Council
Marco
Biffi


He holds a BSc (Mech. Eng.) from Wits University in 1983; and a CoM CMEC (1987). He is registered as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of SA (1998); He currently is the Lead: Mine Ventilation, Technical and Sustainability, Group Mining, at Anglo American Operations (Pty) Ltd. He is experience in mine ventilation and cooling in gold, coal, platinum, diamond, copper, zinc and nickel mines in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, DRC, Burkina Faso, Canada and Australia. He is also a member of the S.A. Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the S.A. Institute of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
Len
de Villiers

Len holds a B.Sc. degree from the University of Pretoria, a GDE (Industrial Environmental Engineering) from the University of Witwatersrand as well as the Certificate in Mine Environmental Control (MEC).
In his career he attended numerous courses that ranged from ventilation related subjects, Safety related subjects, Strategic Planning Courses to Senior Management Courses Len joined the MVSSA in 1983. He served on the Western Branch Committee of which he was the Chairman in 2012 and he served on Council since 2009.
Len was continuously employed at Gold Fields (which changed to Sibanye Gold) for 34 years. He was part of Senior Project Planning teams on various feasibility projects in the Group and also worked at the Gold Fields Corporate Office.
He was promoted to Manager: Environmental Engineering in November 2011 when Kloof and Driefontein mines operated as a Mega-Mine. During his career he was involved in the fighting of many underground fires.
The use of the GAG machine (inert gas generator) was used successfully on several underground fires on East and West Driefontein and Kloof mines. He also published on escape strategies and the use of the GAG, some of which internationally.’
Frank
von Glehn

Frank has been a member of the Society since 1983 and served as President in 1999/2000. He was admitted as an Honorary Life Fellow of the Society in 2015. In the early days of personal computers Frank distributed programmable calculator/computer programs to assist members with basic ventilation calculations and conducted courses for the branches.
Following 10 years at the Chamber of Mines Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Frank was a founding member of BBE Consulting in 1990 and has been involved with ventilation and cooling consulting since then. In 2001, at the 7th International Mine Ventilation Congress [IMVC] in Poland, Frank represented the Society in meetings of the International Congress Committee. In 2009 at the 9th IMVC the Society was elected to host the 10th IMVC in South Africa and Council requested Frank to chair the event. The third IMVC to be hosted by the Society was held at Sun City in August 2014.