PSSA History

Delegates from 26 clubs became foundation members of P.S.S.A. when they attended the first congress opened in the Durban City Hall on July 24th. These clubs were (alphabetical):

July 1954: the founding congress was attended by delegates from clubs who announced their support for the new national body, as well as the South African representative of the Photographic Society of America, Nat Cowan. Delegates accepted the Memorandum and Articles of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa and elected the following office bearers:

·         Dr Kin Bensusan (Johannesburg)  – President

·         Robert Bell (Cape Town) – Vice-President

·         Dr. J.K. du Toit (Pretoria) – Vice-President

·         Branny Penny (Krugersdorp) – Company Secretary

·         M.C. Margetts (Johannesburg) – Honorary Treasurer.

A representative Board of 15 Directors was elected. Four committees were inaugurated at congress with the following chairpersons:

·         Rosie Rosewitz – Membership

·         Joseph Denfield – Portfolios, Print Collections and Exhibitions

·         Lionel Bevis – Tape Recorded Lectures

·         Eric Vertue – Journal

The Motion Picture Division was incorporated the following year.

About 300 individual members joined during the first year, and the first Honorary Life Memberships were awarded, according to one of the recipients, Mr Dewald Van der Merwe Badenhorst (left). He is from Midlens Photographic Club in Middelburg and turned 90 in 2024.

Oscar Abramovitz from Pretoria Photographic Society is another PSSA Foundation Member. He turned 94 in 2024.

In February 1955 the new office of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa was registered. It was situated on the corner of Plein and Wanderers Streets and was used for executive meetings and administration. There was a members’ room where country members could relax and enjoy the library and other facilities. A telephone was available, and meals and teas could be served from a nearby restaurant. All members visiting the city were invited to sign the visitors’ book and learn more about the activities of the P.S.S.A. from the administrator manning the office.

Eric Vertue and  Dr Joseph Denfield

In the first issue of the association’s journal (Camera News April 1955) Dr Kin Bensusan wrote in his Presidential Address: never before in photographic circles in this country has such a willing band of workers toiled so hard for a common effort. The Council itself is truly representative of all parts of Southern Africa, and being democratically elected, it is the Council which the members themselves have chosen.

He made special mention of the ‘Herculean efforts’ of:

·         A. (Rosie) Rosewitz, the Chairman of the Membership Committee;

·         Eric Venue and his Journal Committee;

·         Dr. Joseph Denfield and his Portfolio Committee;

·         Lionel Bevis and John Geldard of the Tape recordings Committee;

·         Secretary Branny Penny, and his assistant Elsa Naude;

·         Murray Margetts,  Honorary Treasurer.

First Eastern Cape Salon:  In Camera News of  April 1955 Uitenhage Camera Club Hon Secretary R. C. Klem reported: In the past year the club organised and ran the highly successful “First Eastern Cape Salon of Photography”. This was well patronised by photographers from all over Southern Africa. Nearly 100 entries, comprising 400 prints, were received. The Salon was opened by the Mayor, Councilor Ofsowitz, at a cocktail party. Through close co-operation with the school principal, most of the Uitenhage School children attended during the showing.

Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and George were the other 3 centres where the Salon was exhibited. By means of a visitors’ book and calculations it was ascertained that over 4,000 people in the Eastern Cape saw the Salon.

Of particular interest was a panel of prints by Baron, J. Allan Cash F.I.B.P. F.R.P.S., Brian Seed (of Life Magazine) and Kurt Hutton (of Picture Post).

Throughout the period of organisation, help and encouragement was received from Dr. Bensusan, the Johannesburg Camera Club and the Cape Town Photographic Society; to these and the many other helpers we are gratefully indebted.

May 7^th and 8^th 1955:  the 1^st Photographic Convention of Northern Rhodesia hosted by Roan Antelope Camera Club was attended by Dr Bensusan. Andrew Hayward was the Northern Rhodesia representative on PSSA and a loosely knit Association of Northern Rhodesian Photographic Societies was formed to coordinate photographic activities in the region.

May 1955: The first Regional Representatives were appointed to distribute print collections and portfolios for the travelling print exhibitions that were hosted in various centres.

July 1955: Directors started drafting suitable “salon practices” for Interclub, Provincial, National and International Salons in Southern Africa held under P.S.S.A. auspices.

1955 October: P.S.S.A. metal badges were issued with lapel, pin and screw fittings, the latter for fixing to camera bags.