SASTM - Constitution

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1 TITLE OF SOCIETY

The name of the Society will be the South African Society of Travel Medicine. Hereafter
referred to as “The Society”. The Society will also be known by the acronym: SASTM


2 PREAMBLE

Any reference in the Constitution and rules, unless inconsistent with the context, to words
importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and vice versa; words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa.


3 LEGAL STATUS

The Society has applied for registration as a non-profit organisation in terms of the Nonproft
Organisations Act, 1997 (NPO Act No 71 of 1997).


4 DEFINITION OF TRAVEL MEDICINE

“Travel Medicine” for the purposes of this constitution shall mean the practising of the
prevention and treatment of travel-related diseases, travel-related conditions and health
hazards, and includes the impact of tourism and migration on health.


5 PURPOSE

The Society will have the following goals:

1. To promote excellence in the practice of Travel Medicine.
   
2. To act as a local and international reference body on Travel Medicine.
   
3. To serve as an advisory body on Travel Medicine to the South African Department of Health.
   
4. To facilitate local and international collaboration in the field of Travel Medicine.
   
5. To promote, facilitate and accredit the education of health care professionals in the practice of Travel Medicine.
   
6. To prepare technical guidelines on Travel Medicine.
   
7. To encourage excellence in appropriate research and professional publication in Travel Medicine.
   

6 BODY CORPORATE

The Society shall:

• Exist in its own right, separately from its members
  
• Continue to exist even when its membership changes and there are different office bearers
  
• Be able to own property and other movable assets.
  
• Be able to sue and to be sued in its own name
  

7 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

7.1 The general control and direction of policy and affairs (property and assets) of The Society shall be vested in the Executive Committee of The Society.

7.2 Only Professional members of The Society shall be eligible for election to the Executive Committee provided that they have a minimum of three years experience in Travel Medicine.

7.3 A minimum of three members of the Executive Committee shall be current managers of designated YF Centres.

7.4 The method of election of members of the Executive Committee shall be by secret ballot or a written proxy exercised by those Professional Members present at the Annual General Meeting of The Society, unless the nominations are unopposed.

7.5 The officers of the society shall consist of a president, president-elect and four elected members, each of whom shall be an ordinary member of the society. The immediate past-president of the Society shall be one of the executive committee members, ex officio. Additional members may be coopted at the discretion of the executive committee.

7.6 The term of office of members of the executive committee will be two (2) years with a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms.

7.7 Any vacancy occurring in the numbers of the executive committee during the two year period, except in the office of president or president-elect, may be filled by the executive committee and any person so appointed shall hold office until the next annual general meeting election.

7.8 The Executive Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancies in its numbers.

7.9 The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt an ordinary member to serve temporarily on the Executive Committee during any member's absence on leave.

7.10 The Executive Committee may appoint Sub-Committees from its own members, ordinary members or co-opted suitable persons for a special task. These Sub-Committees shall report to the Executive Committee.

7.11 If any member of the Executive Committee is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Committee without leave, he/she shall ipso facto cease to be a member thereof.

7.12 Leave of absence shall not be granted to any member of the Executive Committee for a period exceeding six months.

8 FINANCE AND PROPERTY

8.1 The financial year of The Society shall end on 28 February each year.

8.2 The Treasurer, duly elected by the Executive Committee, shall receive funds due to The Society and shall make all disbursements authorised by the Executive Committee.

8.3 The Auditors of the Society shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and paid out of the funds of The Society such remuneration as the Executive Committee may decide.

8.4 The Secretary/Administrator shall keep true accounts of the funds received and expended by The Society, of all the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditure take place and of the assets, credits and balances of The Society, which shall be audited by one or more auditors.

8.5 The funds of The Society shall be banked in its name with such bank as the Executive Committee may appoint and shall be operated upon by the signatures of any two of the following: The Secretary/Administrator and any one of two members of the Executive Committee.

8.6 The income of The Society and any fixed assets (property) shall not be distributable to its members or office bearers

8.7 Office bearers shall, however, be entitled to compensation for services rendered, funds permitting, and as determined by the Executive Committee.

8.8 A member who incurs an expense on behalf of the Society on instruction from and approval of the Executive Committee will be reimbursed such expense.

9 LIQUIDATION

The Society may be liquidated by a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the Ordinary Members present at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose after written notice of not less than thirty days. Any assets of The Society may be passed on to a similar society under these circumstances.


10 MEETINGS

10.1 Ordinary meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held once in 3 (three) months except in December, unless otherwise decided by the Executive Committee.

10.2 Notices of General and Executive Committee Meetings shall ordinarily be sent to members at least seven days before the date appointed for such meetings. In cases of urgency, however, such meetings may be called at shorter notice at the discretion of the President.

10.3 Four members shall constitute a quorum at any Executive Committee meeting.

10.4 Special General Meetings of The Society may be held from time to time and shall be called by the Executive Committee or on the written request of 20 (twenty) percent of the membership of The Society entitled to vote.

10.5 The Society shall maintain records of all meetings of The Society and of the Executive Committee.

11 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

11.1 Every year the Executive Committee shall arrange an Annual General Meeting, for which at least 4 (four) weeks prior notice shall be given to all members of The Society.

11.2 Ten members shall constitute a quorum at the Annual General Meeting 11.3 If a quorum is not present fifteen minutes after the time for which the Annual General Meeting has been called, the meeting shall stand adjourned until the day and time fixed for the next Ordinary General Meeting, and the members then present shall constitute a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was originally called.

11.4 At all meetings the chair shall be taken by the President or, in his absence, by the President-elect, but should neither be present, the meeting shall elect a chairman from amongst the members present.

11.5 The Chairman shall have, in addition to this ordinary vote, a second or casting vote in case of an equality of votes.

12 POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Society may take such action as may be deemed necessary in all matters affecting the
interests of its members in their capacity as members of The Society.

12.1 The Executive Committee has the power and authority to raise funds or to invite and receive contributions.

12.2 The Executive Committee does have the power to buy, hire or exchange any property that it needs to achieve its objectives.

12.3 The Executive Committee has the right to make by-laws for proper management, including procedure for application, approval and termination of membership.

12.4 The Executive Committee will decide on the powers and functions of office bearers.

13 MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

There shall be Professional, Honorary and Sustaining Members of The Society

13.1 Professional Member
• Shall be a medical, nursing or other graduate approved by The Executive Committee who:
  
• Has at least two (2) years of postgraduate health experience; and
  
• Is actively involved in Travel Medicine or a related area approved by the
  

Executive Committee.

13.2 Honorary Membership
• May be extended under exceptional circumstances by unanimous decision of the Executive Committee to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to Travel Medicine in the opinion of the Executive Committee.
  
• Any professional member of The Society may motivate a written recommendation to the Executive Committee, supported by two seconders who are professional members, for consideration by the Executive Committee.
  

13.3 Sustaining Membership

• Shall be open to a corporation, institution or individual, contributing financially to further the purposes of The Society, such annual contributions to be decided by the Executive Committee.
  
• Sustaining members shall not be entitled to vote in an election or decision of The Society.
  

13.4 Associate Membership
• Shall be any individual, corporation or institution with an interest in Travel Medicine
  
• Associate members shall not be entitled to vote in an election or decision of The Society.
  

14 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP PROVISIONS

14.1 The Executive Committee has the right to refuse a membership application.

14.2 Any member who shall commit any act which, in the opinion of the Executive
Committee, may reflect discredit on or be prejudicial or detrimental to the interests of The Society shall be liable to summary dismissal by a majority vote of the Executive Committee; and any member so dismissed shall have no claim whatsoever on The Society.

14.3 The list of honorary members shall be subject to annual review by the Executive Committee.

15 SUBSCRIPTIONS

15.1 An annual subscription shall be payable in advance of the 1st of January of
each year by members of The Society, to provide funds for the carrying out of
the work of The Society.

15.2 The amount of the subscription shall be determined annually by the Executive Committee.

15.3 No subscriptions shall be payable by Honorary Members.

15.4 Ordinary or Associate Members admitted after 30th June in any year shall pay half the annual subscription in respect of that year, except in cases in which the Executive Committee may decide to accept for a shorter period a reduced subscription.

15.5 Any member whose subscription is in arrear shall automatically cease to be a member of The Society.

15.6 Any member may resign his membership provided that all amounts due by him to the Association have been paid.

15.7 The Executive Committee of the Society shall determine how the subscriptions shall be apportioned.

16 ANNUAL REPORTS

The Executive Committee shall submit an Annual Report and Financial Statement at the
Annual General Meeting of the Society.


17 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Amendments to this Constitution shall be effected only if passed by a two-thirds majority of
those voting at a General Meeting of The Society, and provided that at least thirty days written notice of the proposed alterations or amendments have been given to each Ordinary Member. Any alternation or amendment so made shall be incorporated in and form part of this Constitution and shall be binding on all members of The Society.