South Africa has had a long, though interrupted, association with Transactional Analysis. Petruska Clarkson, Maria Gilbert, Diana Shmukler and Merle Friedman were pioneers. Many universities in the seventies and eighties contained at least a module on TA in their psychology courses and many organizational people were introduced to it.

The years of struggle and isolation caused people to leave and made it difficult for trainers to visit. Petruska, Maria, Brian Dobson and Sue Fish became part of the UK TA scene, together with Gordon Law, already established there, and later Elana Leigh. Merle and Sharon Kalinko kept the flame alight in SA, assisted by visits from Richard Erskine, George Kholreiser and Valerie Batts. Later Mary Cox, Gordon Hewitt, Trudi Newton and Colin Brett have brought their skills to the developing trainees.

Diane Salters and Brendah Gaines returned from long absences in the UK bringing their commitment to TA with them. Now we have a whole new crop of trainees, some of whom will be going for examination in 2008.

We trust that the significant contribution made to TA by South Africans in the past will be reflected in what this conference in 2008 offers the TA community. We hope also to welcome friends, old and new, to join with us in building the future of TA in South Africa.