Home

Constitution

 SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF ARCHIVISTS (SASA)

 NAME

 1.         The name of the Society is: South African Society of Archivists/ Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Argivarisse. (Hereafter the Society).

 OBJECT

2.         The object of the Society is the development of Archival Science and the promotion of the archival profession in South Africa.

 HONORARY PRESIDENT

 3.         The Committee may elect annually an Honorary President of the Society, who shall enjoy the same privileges as Honorary Members,

 HONORARY MEMBERS

 4. (a)     Any person may be elected an Honorary Member by the Committee on the grounds of exceptional interest in and services toward the furtherance of Archival Science.

    (b)        The election of Honorary Members by the Committee can be made at most once a year and then only on the strength of a substantial written suggestion by a member of the Committee or of a member of a branch committee.

    (c)        Honorary Members must be elected unanimously by the Committee.

   (d)        The total number of Honorary Members may not at any time exceed five.

   (e)        Honorary Members pay no fees.

MEMBERSHIP

5 (a)      There are:

  1. Honorary Members

 

  1. Professional Members, i.e. persons in possession of the National Higher Diploma: Archival Studies or an equivalent professional archival qualification or whom the Committee has approved as professional members on the grounds of proven practical professional experience in the archival field.

 

  1. Ordinary members, i.e. persons who do not qualify for professional membership.
  1. Institutional members, i.e. any organization or enterprise which subscribes to the goals of the Society.

(c)  Membership fees shall be payable per financial year and no reduction shall be made in respect of any portion of a year that may have expired prior to taking out membership. Membership fees are payable when membership is taken out and thereafter before the end of June each year.

(d)        Members of the Society shall receive one gratis copy of all the Society's publications.

(e)        Membership may be terminated by:

  1. Resignation in writing addressed to the Secretary

 

  1. The Committee on account of non-payment of membership fees

 

  1. The Committee in consultation with a branch committee if circumstances demand it.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE

 6(a)(i)    Members of the National Committee (above and hereafter the Committee) shall be elected from professional and honorary members of the Society.

       ii.          The Committee shall consist of six members who are responsible for the good management of all the affairs of the Society and who are elected biennally by ballot by all members of the Society. Institutional members shall have one vote per institution.

(b)        The Committee may co-opt at most two additional members. Co-opted members need not necessarily be professional members.

 (c)        The Committee shall elect a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and two Editors from its members. A person may not fill the position of Chairman for more than one continuous full term.

(d)        In case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

 (e)        All matters are decided by a bare majority vote save in the case set out in section 4©.

 (f)         The Committee meets when necessary but at least once a year.

 (g)        The Committee determines its own Standing Orders.

 (h)        A quorum consists of two-thirds of the numbers of Committee members.

 (i)         Subject to the provisions in section 7, the Committee shall act in the interests of the Society in respect of all matters not specifically provided for in this constitution.

 (j)         Notwithstanding the provision of section 10(h), the Society shall not be responsible for the personal travelling and accommodation expenses incurred by Committee members in connection with Society business.

 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

 7.         The Chairman of the Committee annually provides a written report to members about the activities of the Committee during the preceding year.

 WORKING COMMITTEES

 8.         The Committee may from time to time request a member or members of the Society to act, individually or jointly, as a working committee to investigate a specific matter or concern in connection with Archival Science and report thereon to the Committee.

 PUBLICATIONS

 9(a)       The Committee is responsible for issuing any publication deemed to be in the interest of the Society.

   (b)        Non-members may subscribe to the Society's publications or purchase them against tariffs fixed by the Committee.

FINANCIAL MATTERS: NATIONAL COMMITTEE

 10(a)     The Treasurer shall be responsible for the handling of all moneys belonging to the Society which are not specifically controlled by a branch committee, and shall administer such moneys as directed by the Committee. He shall keep a proper account of all financial transactions entered into by the Society.

 (b)        Funds belonging to the Society shall be deposited to the Society's account in an institution accepting deposits and approved by the Committee.

 (c)        The signatures of at least two members of the Committee shall be necessary when money is withdrawn.

(d)        The Society's financial year shall be from 1 April to 31 March and audited financial statements shall be submitted annually not later than 30 April to the Committee for approval and thereafter to the members of the Society for information.

  (e)        An auditor shall be nominated annually by the Committee.

 (f)         All property belonging to the Society shall be held in the name of the Society. It shall belong exclusively to the Society and not to members thereof.

 (g)        The members of the Society shall in no way either individually or collectively be responsible for any debts of obligations incurred by the Society.

  (h)        Persons serving on the Committee of the Society and the Society's members and officials shall be secured out of the Society's assets against any risks, expenses and expenditure. They shall in no respect be held responsible in their personal capacity for any transactions which they may have carried out lawfully and in good faith in their official capacity.

 BRANCHES OF THE SOCIETY

 11(a)     With the approval of the Committee, local members in any centre may establish a branch.

  (b)        Each branch must elect a branch committee from its own members, and must consist of at least a chairman, a secretary-treasurer and one additional member.

 (c)        Branches may determine their own domestic rules, but these may not be in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution. The original rules and any amendments thereto must be submitted to the Committee of the Society for approval and will not come into force before the said approval has been given.

 (d)        All branch activities must be in keeping with the object of the Society as determined in section 2 of the Constitution.

  (e)        Funds to cover the expenses of a branch may be made available at the request of a branch, subject to conditions which the Committee may determine.  A branch may also generate and control its own funds, subject to the annual submission of the financial records to the Treasurer of the Committee for auditing.

  (f)         The Society as such or members of the Committee will in no way be responsible for the activities of branches.

 AMENDMENTS

12.        Proposed amendments to this Constitution must be substantiated in writing, signed by at least three members and submitted to the Secretary. Proposed amendments must be considered for acceptability by the Committee and approved by two-thirds of the members of the Society who participate in a ballot.