CONSTITUTION OF THE PRIMARY IMMUNODEFICIENCY NETWORK OF SOUTH AFRICA

1.     NAME

The Association shall be called the Primary Immunodeficiency Network of South Africa (PiNSA)

2.     OBJECTIVES

The Association is established for the advancement of education and protection of health and in particular to provide support, assistance and information to families with members having a primary immunodeficiency.

In furtherance of the above objects but not further or otherwise the Association may:

2.1.   Establish a centre or centres for activities designed to advance the said objectives.

2.2.   Provide or secure the provision of social services and educational facilities within the area of benefit.

2.3.   Provide families with expert advice, lectures, meetings of parents and interested persons, discussion groups and contact with other groups and organisations

2.4.   Promote public awareness of primary immunodeficiencies.

2.5.   Educate and provide a better understanding among professionals and persons who come in contact with families who have a member with a primary immunodeficiency.

2.6.   Provide information on matters of health, and refer families in need of professional assistance to relevant statutory or voluntary agencies.

2.7.   Procure to be written and printed, published, issued, distributed and circulated

2.8.   Reports, periodicals, books, pamphlets, leaflets flyers or other documents.

2.9.   Establish a branch or branches for the furtherance of the above objectives.

2.10. Promote and carry out or assist in so doing research, surveys and investigations and publish the useful results thereof.

2.11. Co-operate to such extent as may be necessary with statutory authorities and voluntary organisations engaged in the furtherance of the above objects or any of them.

2.12. Raise and accept money by way of grants, donations, bequests, legacies or other lawful methods and give, donate or disburse grants and loans to such related organisations or projects as are by law deemed charitable PROVIDED THAT in the exercise thereof the Association shall not engage in any form of permanent trading.

2.13. Purchase, take on, lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights and privileges necessary for the attainment of the said objectives and construct, maintain and alter any building or edifices so necessary as aforesaid.

2.14. Sell, let, mortgage, dispose or turn to account all or any of the property or assets of the association.

2.15. Invest the monies of the Association not immediately required for the said objectives nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law.

2.16. Employ and pay any person or persons to supervise, organise and carry on the work of the Association and make all reasonable and necessary provision for payment of remuneration to employees

2.17. Recruit volunteers with relevant skills, for the furtherance of the above objectives

2.18. Do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects.

3.     MEMBERS

3.1.   Families and individuals in the area of benefit without distinction of age, nationality, religion or political affiliation, shall be eligible for membership of the Association.

3.2.   The committee referred to hereafter shall by regulation prescribe the conditions for and rights and privileges of members; and shall make regulations for the admission to and terminate his or her membership shall have the right to state a case against such proposal.

4.     MEETINGS

4.1.   Annual Meeting

4.1.1.   The Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time not being more than 15 months since the previous Annual General Meeting, and place as the committee shall determine.

4.1.2.  The business of the Annual Meeting shall be:

4.1.3.  To receive and approve reports on the activities of the past year from members of the committee

4.1.4.  To receive and approve the audited accounts of the Association

4.1.5.  To appoint auditors.

4.1.6.  To elect the officers and committee according to such nomination and voting procedure as the Association may from time to time determine.

4.1.7.  To deal with resolutions and such other matters of which notice has been given to the committee and members.

4.1.8.  Other meetings of the Association shall be called General Meetings (or in the case of alteration of the constitution or dissolution of the Association extraordinary General Meetings), and shall be called at not less than 14 days’ notice to members.

4.2.   Extraordinary General Meeting

The Committee shall have the power to call a General or Extraordinary General Meeting and shall be bound to do so within 21 days of receiving notice in writing signed by not less than 10 members. The business to be transacted must appear on the agenda and no other business discussed.

5.     MANAGEMENT

5.1.   Except as provided otherwise in this constitution, the Association shall be managed by a committee, consisting of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer,

5.2.   The Committee so constituted shall have power to co-opt further members PROVIDED THAT the member of co-options shall not exceed one third of the total membership of the committee.

5.3.   The Committee shall meet for the conduct of business, as they shall see fit, but in any event shall meet not less than twice a year, be it face to face or via telecommunications.

5.4.   Office bearers may not hold the same office for more than two years consecutively unless by majority vote of the committee at the Annual General meeting.

5.5.   No more than one member of the same family group may hold office simultaneously

5.6.   Consultants can be co-opted to assist with projects but may not hold office

5.7.   A two third majority vote is required on any decision taken by the committee, including change of Office bearers, resignations notwithstanding.

6.     FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee may inter alia:

6.1.   Make such regulations as they consider appropriate for the efficient conduct of their and the Association’s business.

6.2.   Appoint all such staff as they may consider necessary on such terms as to duties and remuneration as they may determine; employees of the association shall not be eligible to serve as members of the committee.

6.3.   Establish sub-committees, consisting of members of the association or other persons, and shall determine their terms of reference, membership and duration, all such sub-committees shall make regular reports on their work to the committee.

7.     FINANCE

7.1.   All income of the Association, whatsoever derived, shall be applied to the charitable purposes of the Association and to no other purpose PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment of legitimate out-of-pocket expenses to members of the Association engaged upon the approved business of the Association.

7.2.   The financial year of the Association shall run from 1 March – 28 February

7.3.   The Committee shall open a bank account in the name of the Association and shall specify those members of the committee (being not less than two members of the committee authorized to sign cheques on behalf of the Association

7.4.   The committee shall authorize the keeping of proper books of account, and shall designate responsibility for the preparation of an annual statement of accounts for submission to an Annual General meeting.

7.5.    The statement of Accounts shall be made available for inspection by the members of the Association and the revenue commissioners.

8.      ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

8.1.    This shall be altered only by a majority of two-thirds of members of the Association present and voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting called at not less than 14 days

8.2.   Notice to members for that purpose PROVIDED THAT no alteration shall be approved which would cause the Association to cease to be a charity at law.  Any such alteration will be subject to the approval of the revenue commissioners

9.     DISSOLUTION

9.1.   If on the grounds of expense or otherwise the committee shall decide upon the dissolution of the Association, a resolution to dissolve shall be considered by an Extraordinary General Meeting called at not less than 14 days’ notice to members for that purpose.

9.2.   The Association shall be dissolved only by a majority of two thirds of members present and voting at such meeting.

9.3.   Following a decision to dissolve, the assets of the Association shall, following satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, be transferred to one or more charitable associations having objects of similar or related to these of the association as determined by simple majority at such meeting.

10.   TRUSTEES

10.1. The association may appoint and may terminate the appointment of not less than 3 people to act as trustees for the purpose of holding any monies or property belonging to the association.

10.2. The title to all or any such real and/or personal property, which may be required by or for the purposes of the association, shall be vested in the trustees who shall hold such property in trust for the association.

10.3. The trustees shall act under the instruction of the management committee who shall, subject to the approval and consent of the association as determined by a general meeting, have power to fill vacancies among the trustees.