PREAMBLE AND DEFINITIONS
P.1 In the Constitution and in the Bylaws, unless there is something in the subject or the context inconsistent therewith:
(a) Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine; and words importing the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa.
(b) The term "Society" shall mean the South African Society of Nuclear Medicine.
(c) The term "Member" shall mean any member of the Society as defined in section 3 of the Constitution.
(d) The term "Council" shall mean the Council of the Society as constituted under section 4 of the Constitution.
(e) The term "Executive" shall mean the Executive Committee as defined in clause 4.4 of the Constitution.
(f) The term "Officer" shall mean an official member of the Executive as defined in clause 4.4 of the Constitution.
P.2 The numbering of the clauses in this document is arranged as follows:
(a) Preamble and definition - the capital letter P followed by the number and lower case letter in brackets from P.1. (a) to P.3.
(b) Constitution - purely decimalised numbers from 1.1 to 9.2.
(c) Bylaws - a single capital letter followed by decimalised number from A.1 to H.2.2.
P.3 The constitution may only be changed by a General Meeting of the Society, whereas changes to the Bylaws may be effected by Council.
CONSTITUTION
1. NAME
1.1. South African Society of Nuclear Medicine (Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Kerngeneeskunde)
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1. To provide a South African forum for collaboration between physicians, scientists, radiographers and other professional persons with a common interest in the field of nuclear medicine.
2.2. To promote the practice and development of nuclear medicine through the accumulation and dissemination of scientific and technical information by means of meetings, courses and publications.
2.3. To improve the status of nuclear medicine in South Africa through liaison with organisations with common interests, nationally and internationally.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1. Membership is open to all individuals involved in nuclear medicine; there shall be two classes of membership namely voting membership and non-voting membership.
3.2. Voting membership. Voting membership shall consist of the following categories:
3.2.1. Honorary members
Honorary Membership shall be individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the Society and/or exceptional contributions to South African nuclear medicine in accordance with the objectives of the Society
3.2.2. Members
Individual Membership shall be persons of good character interested in accomplishing the objectives of the Society and who - have an interest and competence in the diagnostic or therapeutic use of radionuclides, or use radionuclides for medical scientific purposes, or are engaged in the production of radionuclides for medical applications, or teach nuclear medicine or an allied science, or have promoted the affairs of the Society.
3.2.3. Retired members
Retired Membership shall be persons of good character older than 65 years
3.2.4. Institutional members
Institutional Members shall be organisations who actively promote the interests of nuclear medicine.
3.2.5. Non-voting membership
Non-voting membership shall consist of the following categories:
3.2.5.1 Student Members
Student members shall be individuals who are bona fide students having an active interest in nuclear medicine.
Additional classes or grades of membership may be instituted by agreement at an annual general meeting of the Society.
4. CONTROL
4.1 Subject to the Constitution and in conformity with the Bylaws, the management and control of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in a Council whose members shall hold office until their successors have been elected.
4.2 Council
Council shall consist of-
4.2.1 The Immediate Past President
4.2.2 The President
4.2.3 The Vice President
4.2.4 The Honorary Secretary/Treasurer
4.2.5 Three ordinary Members, as follows-
4.2.5.1 A physician practicing nuclear medicine
4.2.5.2 A scientist involved in nuclear medicine ; and
4.2.5.3 A nuclear medicine radiographer
4.2.6 Co-opted members
4.3 Election of Council
4.3.1 Elected members of Council
4.3.1.1 Members of Council shall be elected from Members of the Society by popular vote at the Biennial General Meeting of the Society, but no Member shall be elected as President unless he has served on Council for at least two years.
4.3.1.2 Nominations for election to Council shall be proposed and seconded by two Members, to be accompanied by acceptance of nomination by the nominee.
4.3.1.3 Only Individual and Honorary Members in good standing may vote.
4.3.1.4 In the event of an equal number of votes being recorded for two or more nominees, all of whom cannot be declared elected, the Meeting shall decide the result by a simple majority vote.
4.3.1.5 Any vacancy on the Council caused by the death, resignation, dismissal or defection of any member, shall be filled by an appointee of the Council who shall serve out the remaining term of office of the member he replaces.
4.3.1.6 All ordinary members of Council shall normally serve for a period of two years. They shall be eligible for re-election, but the President may only serve one consecutive term as President.
4.3.2 Co-opted members of Council
4.3.2.1 Council is empowered to co-opt from amongst the Individual and Honorary members a maximum of two additional members.
4.3.2.2 Co-opted members shall not have Council votes.
4.3.2.3 Co-opted members may hold office if so elected by Council.
4.3.2.4 Co-opted members shall automatically retire at the Biennial General Meeting following their co-option.
4.3.2.5 If the Editor of the Newsletter of the Society is not an elected member of Council, he must be co-opted.
4.4 Executive Committee of Council
The Executive shall consist of the following Officers -
4.4.1 The President
4.4.2 The Vice President
4.4.3 The Honorary Secretary/Treasurer
4.5 Bylaws
4.5.1 Council may frame Bylaws which must be consistent with the provisions of the Constitution, for the conduct of the business and management of the affairs of the Society.
4.5.2 Such Bylaws may at any time be added to, repealed or amended by Council, provided that notice of the intention to move any such change to the Bylaws is included in the notice convening the Council meeting concerned, and provided further that not less than two thirds of the voting members of Council present vote in favour of such change.
4.5.3 All members shall be notified within four weeks of any alterations to the Bylaws effected by Council.
5. FINANCE
5.1 Entrance fees and/or annual subscriptions shall be determined by Council.
5.2 The financial affairs of the Society shall be under the control of Council through the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer.
5.3 All withdrawals from banking accounts shall require any two of three signatures of Council members appointed by Council for this purpose.
5.4 Council is empowered to invest funds at its discretion.
5.5 Council is empowered to disburse funds at its discretion, but in accordance with the objectives of the Society.
5.6 The Society's accounts will close as at 30 June of each year and shall be subject to an annual audit by accredited auditors appointed by Council.
5.7 Statements of the account of the Society for the two preceding financial years shall be presented for approval at each Biennial General Meeting.
5.8 The Council in administering the funds of the Society is presumed to be acting as the Society's agent and its members will not be personally liable for the debts of the Society unless they have acted in bad faith or exceed the powers conferred on them by this Constitution.
5.9 The liabilities of members of the Society is limited to any unpaid fees and subscriptions.
6. GENERAL MEETINGS
6.1 A general meeting known as the Biennial General Meeting shall be held at a place and date decided upon by Council.
6.2 Special General Meetings
6.2.1 At a Special General Meeting only such business as that specified in the notice convening the meeting shall be transacted.
6.2.2 Council may, at any time, convene a Special General Meeting.
6.2.3 Council shall convene a Special General Meeting as soon as is practical after receipt of a written application signed by not less than 10 Members, provided that such application specifies the business for which the meeting is required.
6.3 Only Members in good standing shall be entitled to vote at any of the Society's general meetings.
6.4 Suitably signed postal and proxy votes shall be allowed at all General Meetings.
6.5 Notices convening all General Meetings shall be dispatched to Members at their registered addresses not less than four weeks prior to the date decided upon for such meeting.
7. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
7.1 Changes to this Constitution may only be made at a Biennial General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for this purpose.
7.2 Proposed changes may be submitted by:
7.2.1 Council
7.2.2 Any three Members, such submission to reach the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer not less than six weeks prior to the meeting in question.
7.3 The Honorary Secretary/Treasurer shall circularise such proposed changes to all Members together with the notice convening the meeting.
7.4 The meeting may adopt any proposed change, may adopt it after amendment, or may reject it by a minimum vote of at least two-thirds of Members present, postal votes and proxy votes.
7.5 A proposed change which is carried becomes effective immediately, and the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer shall notify all members of such change within four weeks.
8. INTERPRETATION
In the event of any ambiguity as to the meaning of any portion of the Constitution and of the Bylaws, the interpretation of Council shall be binding.
9. DISSOLUTION
9.1 Council shall have the power to dissolve the Society provided that-
9.1.1 All Members be circularised regarding such intention at least two months prior to the intended date of dissolution, such notice to include appropriate postal and proxy ballot forms.
9.1.2 All Members in good standing shall be entitled to vote.
9.1.3 Not less than two-thirds of the responding votes are in favour of dissolution.
9.2 In the event of dissolution Council shall be responsible for transferring the assets of the Society to an organisation or organisations with activities similar to those of the Society.]