Convenor: O. Barker (Association of Engineering Geologists / South African Section).
The short course on neotectonics was delivered by Prof. James McCalpin (Geo-Haz Consultants, USA).
Excursion Leaders: M.A.G. Andreoli, J. Van Bever Donker, G. Avery.

Convened and organised by Oliver Barker, Chair of the AEG (SA Section), in conjunction with SAIEEG, this short course / workshop in Stellenbosch was attended by 30 delegates from Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana and as far afield as Australia states.

The meeting opened with a keynote address by Dr Marco Andreoli, who provided a comprehensive overview of the neotectonic framework of southern Africa. This was followed by the short course, a workshop, a poster session and a field trip.

The course was presented by Dr James McCalpin, editor and main author of the recently published, award-winning book "Paleoseismology". Attendees were provided with course notes and abstracts of the papers and posters as well as a copy of "Paleoseismology". SAIEEG would like to thank James for doing the course at no charge and to the AEG (SA Section), for arranging for him to make the trip under these conditions. We were very pleased to offer him our hospitality and beer, which he seemed to enjoy!

The course presented an introduction to the topic of palaeoseismology and related field techniques used in mapping of faults. Detailed logging of trenches excavated across such faulting is perhaps the most important means of data collection. The course covered palaeoseismology in extensional, volcanic, compressional as well as strike-slip tectonic environments in some detail, presenting numerous examples understandably primarily from the USA. The application of this palaeoseismic data to seismic hazard assessment was also discussed. The course emphasised the contribution of geomorphology and quaternary geology in the study of palaeoseismology.

A number of local authors presented papers with topics ranging from field evidence for neotectonics in the Eastern Cape, palaeoseismology along the Tshipise Fault, house cracking in Botswana due to neotectonism and a review of the seismotectonic setting of Lesotho.

The poster session which ran concurrently provided a focus for many discussions and debate. Marco Andreoli provided both maps of the Neotectonic structures of the southern African region as well as some interesting photos of possible thrust faulting at Vaalputs. Posters by Svetan Sinadinovski from Australia summarised some of that country’s earthquakes and work in developing a new approach to seismic hazard analysis. The Council for Geoscience provided a Poster on Seismic Design Input in the Face of a Large Fault. Dave Haskins provided a poster on work his firm has been involved with at the Lesotho Highlands Scheme. Tim Partridge displayed his poster on his trench mapping of a fault in the Messina region.

An excursion on the Saturday led by Jan van Bever Donker, Graham Avery and Marco Andreoli took participants to the coastal area near between Die Kelders and Gansbaai where evidence of seismic induced cave collapse, faulting and folding in Pliocene to Pleistocene rocks were observed.

Judging from the lively discussions amongst the delegates and the many favourable comments, this course / workshop may be considered a great success.