1. NAME
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The Association is an official group of
the South African Medical Association and its name shall be: The
Association of Surgeons of South Africa (abbreviated as ASSA)
hereinafter called 'The Association'. |
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2. AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION
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The objects for which the Association
is established are: |
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2.1 |
To promote the science, practice,
quality and image of surgery. |
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2.2 |
To represent and further the interests
of surgeons in South Africa. |
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2.3 |
To sponsor and promote scientific
publication in the field of surgery. |
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2.4 |
To encourage and support surgical
research in South Africa. |
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3. MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION
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3.1 |
Full members
Any person who is registered as a specialist in surgery and/or
paediatric surgery, with the Health Professions Council of South
Africa, and who is a member of the South African Medical Association
is eligible for membership. An applicant’s membership shall be
confirmed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee of the
Association after being duly proposed and seconded by two full
members of the Association.
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3.2 |
Honorary life members
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP may be granted at the discretion of the
Executive Committee to members who have retired from active practice
or academic appointments and who have been members of the
Association for a minimum of 10 years. Honorary Life Members are no
longer liable for annual subscriptions, but can voluntarily
subscribe to receive the official scientific publication of the
Association at the cost thereof.
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3.3 |
Honorary members
HONORARY MEMBERSHIP may be bestowed on distinguished guests or
visitors from outside the borders of the Republic of South Africa
after being duly proposed and seconded and elected by a majority
vote of the Executive Committee.
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3.4 |
Honorary
Vice-presidencies
HONORARY LIFE VICE-PRESIDENCIES may be bestowed on members in
recognition of outstanding service to surgery in South Africa.
Nomination for the office of Honorary Vice-President will be at the
discretion of the Executive Committee of the Association and must be
confirmed by a two thirds majority at an Annual General Meeting. The
number of Honorary Life Vice-Presidents, at any one time, will be
limited to six (6).
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3.5 |
Associate members
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP may be bestowed on registrars in surgical
training or other medical practitioners with a significant input to
surgical practice after duly completing the prescribed application
form and membership being confirmed by a majority vote of the
Executive Committee. Associate members will not have voting rights.
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3.6 |
Termination
Members shall retain membership until such is terminated either by
resignation in writing, addressed to the Secretary, or by a decision
of the Executive Committee of the Association. Membership may be
suspended, if, after two years, the annual subscription remains
unpaid. Membership may be re-instated after payment of outstanding
and due subscriptions. A suspended member will have no voting
rights.
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4. CONTROL OF THE ASSOCIATION
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4.1 |
The general control and
direction of the policy and affairs of the Association shall be
vested in the Executive Committee of the Association.
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4.2 |
In exercising control over
the Association, the Executive Committee shall, at all times, have
regard for the wishes of members and abide by the Articles and
by-laws of the South African Medical Association.
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4.3 |
Composition of the
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall hold office for two years and shall
consist of the President, the Immediate Past President, a
Chairperson, a vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer and four
members. An additional four members, with full voting rights, may be
co-opted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee may, additionally, co-opt the national representative of
surgical registrars to the Executive. This representative will have
full voting rights at meetings of the Executive Committee,
notwithstanding his/her status as an Associate Member of the
Association.
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4.4 |
Election of Office
Bearers
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4.4.1 |
Office bearers and members of the
Executive Committee, with the exception of the President and the
Immediate Past President, shall be nominated and elected biennially
at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Association coinciding
with the Biennial Congress of the Association. If such Congress for
any reason is not held, a suitable alternative meeting will be
identified by the outgoing Executive Committee for this purpose.
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4.4.2 |
President
The President shall hold office for two years and shall be elected
by a national postal or electronic ballot. Nominations for the
position of President, signed by two members and by the nominee,
must be received by the Secretary at least 90 days before the AGM
coinciding with the Biennial Congress of the Association. Ballot
papers must reach members 45 days before the AGM and must be
returned to reach the Secretary 1 day before the AGM.
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4.4.3 |
A list of office bearers, together with
a complete list of members of the Association shall be furnished
biennially to the Secretary General of the South African Medical
Association within thirty 30 days of the election of such office
bearers.
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4.5 |
4.5.1 |
Meetings of the
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee presided over by the Chairperson, or in the
absence of the Chairperson by the vice-Chairperson or an Executive
Committee member, duly elected by the members present, should meet
at least twice a year.
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4.5.2 |
The Secretary shall keep records of all
meetings of the Association and of its Executive Committee and shall
conduct all correspondence in connection with the affairs of the
Association.
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4.5.3 |
The Treasurer shall receive all monies
due to the Association and shall make all disbursements authorised
by the Executive Committee.
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4.5.4 |
The Executive Committee may, from time
to time, issue policy documents, guidelines, and position statements
on behalf of the Association, which serve as annexure to, but not an
integral part of, this Constitution.
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4.6 |
Augmented Executive
Committee
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4.6.1 |
Representatives of the Departments of
Surgery at each of the South African Medical Faculties, the
President of the College of Surgeons of South Africa, the
Chairperson of Surgicom and the Editor(s) of the official scientific
publication of the Association will, together with elected and
co-opted members of the Executive Committee, form the Augmented
Executive Committee of the Association.
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4.6.2 |
These additional members of the
Augmented Executive Committee will normally be invited to attend all
scheduled meetings of the Executive Committee, but serve in an
advisory capacity and have no voting rights at such meetings. |
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5. MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION
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5.1 |
The annual general meeting
(AGM) of the Association shall, as far as is possible, take place
during the Biennial Congress of the Association of Surgeons in the
years in which this is arranged. In alternate years the annual
general meeting will be arranged to coincide with a suitable
academic meeting as designated by the Executive Committee. The
quorum at the AGM shall be thirty (30) members.
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5.2 |
The AGM shall be conducted
by the President, or in his absence by the Chairperson or failing
him by a person specially elected for the purpose.
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5.3 |
Extraordinary general
meetings of the Association may be held from time to time and shall
be called by the Executive Committee on the written request of
thirty (30) members of the Association.
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5.4 |
Voting by proxy according
to the Articles of the South African Medical Association shall be
allowed at all annual and extraordinary general meetings.
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6. ACTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
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6.1 |
The Association may take
such action as may be deemed necessary in all matters affecting the
legitimate interests of its members, provided that the South African
Medical Association as a whole be not involved or pledged to any
action and that any such action contemplated by the Association not
be in conflict with the policies of the South African Medical
Association in force at the time. |
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7. ORGANISATION OF THE ASSOCIATION
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7.1 |
The Association shall be
empowered to allow the formation of branches of the Association
within the framework of the divisions or branches of the South
African Medical Association or in such other manner as may be
desirable. Such branches may be allowed powers of independent action
in local matters provided that such action is not in conflict with
the general policy and rules of the Association and of the South
African Medical Association in general.
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7.2 |
Such branches shall elect a
Branch Committee comprising a Chairperson, a
Secretary and a
Treasurer, and up to three members annually at the Annual General
Meeting of the branch.
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7.3 |
Each branch shall have a
minimum membership of six (6) full members.
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7.4 |
Reports of local action
taken shall be submitted by the Secretary of the branch to the
Secretary of the Association.
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7.5 |
Reasonable costs incurred
by a branch in the conduct of its activities may be re-imbursed by
the Association.
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8. SUBSCRIPTIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION
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An annual subscription shall be payable
by members and associate members of the Association to provide funds
for carrying out of the work of the Association. The Executive
Committee shall determine the annual subscription payable, per
category of membership, from time to time. |
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| 9. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE ASSOCIATION |
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The Chairperson shall submit an annual
report and the Treasurer a Financial Statement at the Annual General
Meeting of the Association |
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| 10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION |
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Any proposal to amend the constitution
must be received by the Secretary at least ninety (90) days before
an AGM, and circulated to members of the Association forty-five (45)
days before the same AGM. Amendments to the constitution can only be
affected if passed by a two-thirds majority of those voting at an
AGM of the Association. Any such change in the constitution shall
only become effective after approval by the Board of Directors of
the South African Medical Association.
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| 11. DISSOLUTION |
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In the event of the dissolution of the
Association, the assets of the Association shall be given or
transferred to some other organisation engaged in activities similar
to those for which the Association was established. The Executive
Committee shall be responsible for selecting the organisation
stipulated by this clause, failing which the assets will be
transferred or given to the South African Medical Association.
Dissolution will occur if the membership of the Association
decreases to less than thirty (30) members. Any other mechanism of
dissolution can only occur if handled in the same manner as
amendments to the constitution. |
