PREAMBLE

The South African Sociological Association is committed to a democratic South Africa, where all enjoy economic, political and social justice and freedom from all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion, nationality, race and gender.

ARTICLES

ARTICLE 1: NAME
The Association shall be known as the South African Sociological Association (SASA), hereinafter called the Association.

ARTICLE 2: OBJECTIVES
The principal objectives of the Association are:
· To promote the discipline and the profession of Sociology;
· To promote research, teaching and debate about society;
· To promote cooperation at the national, regional and international levels among persons engaged in the study of society.

ARTICLE 3: LANGUAGES
(a) The Association shall promote a culture of tolerance in respect of the linguistic diversity and the language needs of all South Africans.

(b) The Association shall respect the right of every member to speak at meetings or to present papers in the language of his or her choice.

(c) The Association shall ensure that as much as reasonably possible is done to ensure that no member is disadvantaged by the inability to express him- or herself adequately in the language being used in any particular meeting of the Association.

(d) Notwithstanding any of the above, English shall be used in the constitution and official correspondence of the Association, including newsletters, notices, agendas and minutes of meetings, and in official reports and statements by office-bearers of the Association. English shall be the language in which meetings shall be convened, but participants may make contributions in any other language, provided that a concise argument is made available in English. Conference papers may be accepted and delivered in any other language, but a detailed summary in English must be provided. As far as is reasonably possible, the Association shall encourage translation to and from English as the need arises.

ARTICLE 4: MEMBERSHIP
Any person interested in the objectives of the Association may apply for membership. The categories and conditions of membership are set forth in the By-laws, Article 1.

ARTICLE 5: COUNCIL
(a) The Association shall constitute a Council from among its Members. The Council shall be the governing body of the Association, except insofar as the Constitution and By-laws delegate governmental functions to other officers or to Committees.

(b) The Council of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and eight Council members, plus such ex officio members as may be necessary in terms of (e) below.

(c) All members of Council shall be elected or re-elected annually from and by the voting members for a period not exceeding one year.

d) No member of Council shall be eligible for re-election to a particular office for more than two consecutive years.

(e) Upon retirement from office, if the retiring President is not elected to the Council, he or she becomes an ex officio member of the Council for one term. If the Editors of Journals are not elected to be Council, they become ex officio members of the Council upon appointment for the full term of their appointment. The web editor shall be an ex officio member of the Council.

(f) As the governing body of the Association, the Council shall be responsible for the formulation of policy and the general direction of the affairs of the Association, and shall call regular and special meetings of the Association. It shall have the power to fill not more than three vacancies in its elective membership occasioned by death, resignation, or failure to elect, such appointees to hold office until replaced by officers elected at the next annual election. The authority to interpret the Constitution and By-laws resides in the Council. When the Council is not in session, the Executive may make such provisional rulings as are necessary for the operation of the Association, subject to review by the Council at its next meeting.

(g) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum of the Council. When the Council is not in session, questions may be submitted by mail to all members of the Council for their vote.

(h) The Council shall have the power to appoint such other officers or committees as it may deem necessary or desirable and for such period and terms as may be determined by the Council.

(i) The president, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and one other member of Council appointed by Council, shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Council, who may act on behalf of the Council in matters of urgency.

ARTICLE 6: PUBLICATIONS
(a) The Association shall issue such regular or occasional publications, as it deems necessary in the promotion of its objectives. All publications shall be under the general direction of the Council.

(b) The Association shall have the power to establish and maintain journals.

ARTICLE 7: MEETINGS
(a) The President shall call at least one general meeting simultaneous with the conference each year, at a time and place to be determined by the Council. The venue of the Annual General Meeting shall be determined in consultation with the membership at the Annual Meeting in terms of (c) below, if possible at least one year ahead of the time that such an Annual General Meeting is to take place.

(b) Council shall determine the agenda of the Annual General Meeting. Council shall notify the membership at least three months in advance of the date and venue of the Annual General Meeting, and at least one month in advance of the program of the conference.

(c) At each Annual General Meeting the Officers and the Council shall report to the Association and respond to questions form the membership. At the Annual Meeting, a majority of the voting members present may:
    (i) place items on the agenda of that Meeting;
    (ii) pass resolutions binding on the Council; and
    (iii) pass courtesy resolutions.

(d) Motions may be placed on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting prior to that meeting, provided that:
    (i) the motion is in writing and is proposed and seconded by voting members of the Association;
    (ii) a copy of the motion is made available to the membership at least twenty- four hours before the meeting at which the motion will be put.

(e) A special meeting of the Association may be called by either the Councilor the written request to the Council of at least twenty members of the Association. Members shall receive at least twenty-one days' notification of such a special meeting and of the matters to be discussed at that meeting. Notice of any special meeting shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given if sent by ordinary pre-paid post to the address of the member as it appears in the records kept by the Secretary.

ARTICLE 8: FINANCE
(a) The Association shall have the right to open and operate accounts at banks or other recognised financial institutions as deemed necessary. Council shall have the right to appoint or re-appoint officers with powers to sign on behalf of the Association.

(b) The Association may grant, solicit and receive special funds and endowments. Acceptance and expenditure of such funds shall be authorised by the Council.
Separate accounts shall be maintained for each journal established in terms of Article 6(b).

(c) The income and property of the Association, whencesoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its main objectives and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever, to the Members, Honorary Members, Associate Members or employees' provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith or reasonable remuneration to any officer or servant or employee of the Association in return for services actually rendered to the Association.

ARTICLE 9: AMENDMENTS
(a) Any provisions of the Constitution of the Association may be revoked or amended and any new provisions may be introduced by a Resolution of the Association supported by not less than two-thirds of the voting members of the Association actually voting on the Resolution.

(b) All proposed Resolutions for amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Councilor by at least ten voting members of the Association.

(c) All proposed Resolutions for amendments to the Constitution shall be dispatched in writing to all the voting members of the Association, at least twenty-one days before such Resolution is voted on. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given if sent by ordinary pre-paid post to the address of the member as it appears in the records kept by the Secretary.

(d) A resolution proposed in terms of Section (b) of this Article and communicated to the voting members of the Association in terms of Section (c) of this Article may be voted on as follows:
Either by members signifying their votes in writing to the Secretary of the Association by not later than the date on which the vote is due to take place;
or
By a show of hands by voting members of the Association at a duly constituted meeting of the Association in terms of Article 7.

ARTICLE 10: DISSOLUTION
(a) The Association shall have perpetual existence but may, at a Special Meeting called for the purpose or at an Annual General Meeting, be wound up and dissolved on a Resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the voting members of the Association actually voting upon such Resolution. The Chairperson of the meeting called to consider such Resolution shall not have a casting vote.

(b) The provisions of Article 9 shall apply to any Resolution proposing the dissolution of the Association.

(c) In the event of a dissolution, the Council of the Association shall dispose of the surplus assets of the Association remaining after all obligations of the Association have been met, to any other institutions of a scientific or educational nature within South Africa which, in the opinion of the Council of the Association, have objects similar to the objects of the Association or which operate in a manner which, in the opinion of the Council of the Association, would further the objects for which the Association was established.

ARTICLE 11: SUMMARY OF QUORUMS AND VOTING PROCEDURES
(a) Council:
    (i) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.
    (ii) When not in session, questions may be submitted by mail to all members for their vote.

(b) Annual General Meeting:
    (i) Twenty voting members shall constitute a quorum.
    (ii) Any provision of the Constitution may be revoked, amended or new provisions added, or the Association itself dissolved, by resolution, if it is supported by not less than two-thirds of the voting members of the Association actually voting on the resolution.

(c) Voting will normally be by show of hands. A secret ballot may be used if requested by the members or office-bearers of the Association, in Council, or at the Annual General Meeting. In the case of proposed amendments to the constitution, members may signify their votes in writing to the Secretary of the Association by not later than the date on which the vote is due to take place.

BY-LAWS

BY-LAW 1: MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
(a) All persons who formally subscribe to the constitution of the Association and who qualify for voting membership in terms of (d) below, shall be empowered to elect at the constituent meeting from among those who so qualify such Office-bearers, Council and Committees as are provided for in the Constitution. Such elected Office-bearers, Council and Committees will be empowered to perform all functions authorised by the Constitution.

(b) The membership of the Association shall consist of the following categories: Members, Honorary Members, Associate Members, Student Members and Emeritus Members as determined by the Council.

(c) Each member shall have the right to attend all meetings of the Association (including the annual congress at membership rates), and shall be entitled to subscription at members' rates to all such publications as the Council may decide. All members shall have the right to offer papers to suitable meetings of the Association and to speak thereon, but only Members and Honorary Members shall have the right to propose and vote on motions at Business Meetings of the Association.

(d) To be eligible as a Member of the Association an applicant must have:
    (i) a minimum of a Masters degree in Sociology; or
    (ii) at least an Honours degree in Sociology or equivalent achievement in a cognate discipline as determined by the Council and be a teacher at an institution of higher learning, or engaged in advanced research under the auspices of such an institution or under an equivalent organisation, or be engaged in professional activity relevant to Sociology as approved by the Council.

(e) Honorary Members shall be recommended to the Council by a Committee elected for this purpose by the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall be elected for a term not exceeding three years. Honorary Members may also be recommended to the Council by embers of the Association. The Council shall ratify recommendations regarding Honorary Members on condition that they are considered by the Council to be persons of distinction in Sociology or related fields.

All nominations should be accompanied by suitable motivations, proposed and seconded in writing by voting members of the Association.
Honorary Members shall pay no dues and shall have all the rights and privileges of membership.

(f) Any person interested in Sociology may become an Associate Member of the Association on payment of the appropriate dues. Persons in economically disadvantaged positions may be admitted to Associate Membership at reduced dues as deemed appropriate by Council.

(g) Registered undergraduate and graduate students at educational institutions who do not satisfy all requirements for the status of a Member may be admitted to Student Membership in the Association on payment of specially reduced annual dues for a maximum of five years, with all the rights of Associate membership.

(h) Any Member of the Association when retired by his or her institution may become an Emeritus Member of the Association. An Emeritus Member may pay specially reduced dues, but shall have all the rights and privileges of Membership.

(i) Dues are payable annually. Membership may be terminated when dues fall in arrear for more than twelve months.

BY-LAW 2: OFFICERS
(a) The President of the Association shall preside at all meetings of the Association. Her or she shall also be chairperson of the Council. Her or she shall have the authority to fill any vacancies that may occur on committees for the remainder of unexpired terms except as otherwise provided. He or she shall perform such other duties as may be assigned him or her by the Council. In the event of his or her death, resignation, or absence, his or her duties shall devolve upon the Vice- President, and hence upon the Secretary, until a new President be appointed. The officer concerned shall become President if he or she is to serve a full term and shall become Acting President if he or she is to serve a partial term. He or she shall report on the activities of his or her office at the Annual General Meeting.

(b) The Vice President shall chair meetings of the Association and the council in the absence of the President.

(c) The Secretary shall be the chief administrative officer of the Association and shall transact its business. He or she shall attend to the business details of the Association's publications. He or she shall, in consultation with the President, prepare tentative agendas for meetings of the Council, and, in consultation with the relevant chairpersons, tentative agendas for meetings of other Committees. Final agendas shall be approved by the Council and the Committees for their respective meetings. In accordance with the Council's policies, the Secretary shall formulate plans for the accomplishment of the Association's objectives, and upon the approval of the Council, her or she shall be responsible for coordinating the public relations activities of the Association. All committees may look to him or her for assistance in their work; such assistance may include his or her presiding or arranging for another member to preside temporarily at a Committee meeting during the election of a chairperson from among the voting members. The Secretary shall be responsible to the Council. Her or she shall consult with the President as questions of policy arise. He or she shall report on the activities of his or her office at the Annual General Meeting.

(d) The Treasurer shall receive and have custody of the Association's funds, discharge its obligations, and maintain its accounts. He or she shall prepare financial statements to be tabled at the Annual General Meeting. The Treasurer shall be responsible to the Council. He or she shall consult with the President as questions of finance arise.
The Treasurer shall present an audited statement to the Annual General Meeting reflecting the financial position of the Association at the end of the financial year immediately preceding such a meeting.

(e)    (i) The Council shall meet at least twice annually, at least once in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting of the Association. Special meetings of the Council may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the Council.
    (ii) The Council may make decisions to co-operate or affiliate with other societies and associations. When appropriate it shall elect representatives from this Association to such other societies or associations. It may also recognise other societies or associations as co-operating or affiliated organisations for purposes of planning programs or other activities within the objectives of the Association.
    (iii) All actions taken by the Council must be communicated to the membership not later than the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

(f) When the Council is not in session questions may be submitted to the members of the Council by mail for vote. A simple majority of those responding shall control decisions on such questions, providing that the response constitutes a quorum. The tally of votes shall be reported promptly to al members of the Council.

BY-LAW 3: PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS
Council shall appoint a person or institution to store copies of all the documents which reflect the business and the progress of the Association.

BY-LAW 4: AMENDMENTS
(a) Any provisions of the By-laws of the Association may be revoked or amended and any new provisions may be introduced by a Resolution of the Association supported by not less than two-thirds of the voting members of the Association actually voting on the Resolution.

(b) All proposed Resolutions for amendments to the By-laws may be proposed by the Councilor by at least ten voting members of the Association.

(c) All proposed Resolutions for amendments to the By-laws shall be dispatched in writing to all the voting members of the Association, at least twenty-one days before such Resolution is voted on. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given if sent by ordinary pre-paid post to the address of the member as it appears in the records kept by the Secretary.