The South African Radiation Protection Society (SARPS) was formed in 1970 as one of the interest groups under the South African Association of Physicists in Science and Biology. Originally formed by Medical and Health physicists, the Health Physics component came to dominate. Increasing friction between the SARPS Executive Committee and the SAAPMB leadership eventually led the Executive Committee and most of the Health Physics component of SARPS to resign in 1997 and form the South African Radiation Protection Association (SARPA).

An annual general meeting of SARPS was held at the 1997 SAAPMB congress. Chaired by William Rae in his capacity as the Chair of the SAAPMB and attended by a few remaining members, the question raged; "Should SARPS be dissolved or should it continue…" Dr. Rae had conducted a survey a few weeks previously to discuss the question. The results, filled in by a few members seemed to indicate overwhelmingly that SARPS should be dissolved. The debate grew heated!

But at the end the vote was unanimous with one abstention: SARPS must go on! The remaining members felt that not only was there still room for SARPS, but that the society was desperately needed to serve the radiation protection interests within the SAAPMB.

A new Executive Committee was chosen. Its directive, to build up SARPS into a functioning organisation once again. Under the leadership of Mary Jean Scott, membership slowly increased. Dr. Scott also undertook the thorny task of liasing with SARPA concerning common matters, most importantly, that of affiliation to the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA).

Previously SARPS was affiliated to IRPA via the SAAPMB. When SARPA was formed the affiliation remained with the SAAPMB. This was a situation unacceptable to the members of SARPA. Likewise, the members of SARPS did not want to lose their affiliation to IRPA. The problem was further compounded by the fact that IRPA only recognises one affiliated society in a country. Happily the problem was resolved by the formation of the South African Radiation Protection Coordinating Body (SARPCOB).

SARPCOB is affiliated to IRPA. Each member of SARPS and SARPA is a full member of SARPCOB. This increases South Africa's representation at IRPA and provides a forum for communication concerning radiation protection matters. It should be noted that members of the SAAPMB are not automatically members of SARPCOB and IRPA. They must be members of SARPS to qualify for SARPCOB and IRPA membership. The last IRPA congress was in 2000. An interesting feature of the congress was the large number of medically related presentations. The next congress is in 2004.

The membership of SARPS is now standing at fifty (50) people as opposed to the thirty (30) that were on the books just after the split. We find it very encouraging that at a time when overall membership levels are declining that ours is increasing. At this stage we have eliminated the people who have left the SAAPMB from our books, and the members that remain are bona-fide active members of SARPS

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