svenska

 The Constitution
and Members of the Board

Many of our members were born in South Africa. Other members are Swedes who have lived and worked in South Africa. Others have been on tourist visits and fallen in love with the country. A few have done research there, for instance in areas like the country´s unique flora. There are also those who have worked towards helping the country develop and those who have lived through and experienced the apartheid era which to some may only be history.

We wish to keep abreast of what happens in South Africa. We are keen to keep in contact and develop a community spirit among ourselves. We want to cherish our memories, to learn more and also to have a good time together.

The South Africa Society in Sweden has as its aims:

• To bring together in a congenial form, people who hold a common interest in South Africa, its people, its development, its natural environment and its food and wine
• To disseminate interesting and objective information about the country
• To work for better understanding and closer contact between the South African and Swedish people
• To encourage friendship, co-operation and solidarity between the people of the two countries o To promote and to make possible contacts between our members and organisations and companies in Sweden and South Africa
• To provide our Swedish members with more opportunity to meet and gain more knowledge about South Africans and South African culture, travel possibilities, products, literature and scientific developments
• To give our South African members a contact base to develop their special bicultural identity

We arrange meetings and events for members and guests. We maintain an active relation with the South African Embassy, with Swedish and South African organisations and companies The Society has no polical or religious affiliations but follows and reports on current developments in South Africa.

You can become a member by coming to our meetings or contacting a board member. The membership fee is 150 kr or family membership is 250 kr a year, payable to Post Giro 430 06 34-5.

The Society's official name is

The South Africa Society in Sweden  /  Sverige Sydafrikaföreningen.

1. Objectives
The Society shall bring Swedes and South Africans together to exchange experience and information on South Africa and promote this their mutual interest through stimulating social contact.

The objectives of the Society are:

- to work for better understanding and active contact between the peoples of South Africa and Sweden
- to encourage friendship, cooperation and solidarity between the two peoples
- to work for the spreading of objective and balanced information about South Africa
- to safeguard and promote the identity of South Africans in Sweden.

The Society shall be non-partisan on political and religious issues.

 1. Membership
Anyone who has paid the membership fee is regarded as being a member.

2. Termination of Membership
Membership may be terminated by resignation or expulsion.
Resignation occurs at the request of the member. Paid annual membership fees will not be reimbursed.
A member who opposes the objectives of the Society may be expelled immediately by decision of the Board.

3. Membership Fees
The membership fee will be determined at the Annual Meeting of the Society.
Payment of the fee gives voting rights at the Annual Meeting. Members will be invoiced for payment of the fee at the beginning of the Society's financial year.

4. The Annual Meeting
The Society's highest decision-making body is the Annual Meeting.
The ordinary Annual Meeting will be held each year before the end of March.
The Notice of the Annual Meeting will be posted to all members at the latest one month before the date of the meeting.
At the Annual Meeting all the paid-up members of the Society are entitled to vote.
The Society's current affairs are managed by the Board.
The Society's financial year coincides with the calendar year and its operational year begins immediately after the Annual Meeting.

5. Agenda of the Annual Meeting
6. The Meeting is declared open
7. Election of the Chair and Minutes Secretary of the Meeting
8. Election of two members to ratify the Minutes along with the Chair
9. Ratification of due and proper notice of the Annual Meeting
10. Annual Report of the Society and auditors' report
11. Adoption of the Annual Accounts and Balance Statement
12. Exemption of the Board from liability
13. Setting of the membership fees for the forthcoming year
14. Members' motions and proposals by the Board
15. Election of Board members and their deputies
16. Election of the Chair of the Society
17. Election of auditors and substitute auditor
18. Information from the Board
19. Other proposals and questions submitted in advance of the Meeting
20. Closure
A programme should be organised jointly with the meeting.

1. The Board

The affairs of the Society are managed by the Board, which, including the Chair and the executive members, shall consist of no fewer than five members. Deputy members may also be appointed to the Board.
The Board and its Chair are elected for the period of one year.
The Society will strive to achieve gender balance on the Board.

The Board will allocate the other elected executive members to their respective posts at the Board's first constitutive meeting after the Annual Meeting.
The Board meets when called by the Chair or at the request of at least three Board members.
The Notice of a Board Meeting shall state the agenda of the meeting.
Decisions are taken by simple majority vote, unless otherwise determined in the Constitution. Should a vote be even, the Chair has a casting vote.

2. Tasks of the Board
* To take due care of the Society's affairs and objectives.
* To settle membership issues.
* To be responsible for the activities of the Society and to set the fees for the same.
* To take responsibility for contacts with the broad society and the press.
* To carry out investigations, to discuss and pronounce upon incoming proposals and to act as a reference authority whenever relevant.
* To take responsibility for the Society's assets and to keep the books of the Society's accounts, which will be closed as per the 31st December of each year.
* To issue an Annual Report along with a Statement of Accounts and an Annual Balance Statement, as well as to issue a Budget Proposal for the coming year.
* To ensure otherwise that the Society's activities are carried out with sufficient personnel and financial resources and within the limits of its available means.

9. Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to this Constitution require to be passed by two successive meetings of the Society, of which one shall be the Annual Meeting. The second meeting must be held at least one and at most three months after the first one. Decision will be taken by a two-thirds majority vote of those members present at each meeting.

The dissolution of the Society requires the same procedure as for amending the Constitution, but shall also include a decision on the disposition of the assets of the Society.
10. Authorised Signatories
The Society's authorised signatories shall be appointed by the Board. The Society's liability is limited to the amount of its assets.

11. Audit
Each calendar year, the Society's properly closed books inclusive of the instruments and documents thereto pertaining, the Treasurer's Report and the Annual Report shall be submitted to the auditors for vetting. The auditors shall by the 20th February issue a written statement of their audit and therewith either clearly exempt the Board from liability or clearly refuse to do so.

12 Extraordinary Annual Meeting
An extraordinary Annual Meeting may be called if the Board or at least one fifth of the members so request.

The above Constitution was discussed and approved at the Annual Meetings held on 25th March and 27th March 1999. Minor amendments were formulated and approved at a joint Board meeting 1st September 1999 and the Constitution was finally passed by the constitutive Annual Meeting, properly called and held on 30th October 1999.

Stockholm, 31st October 1999

Ben Mahase / Per Olov Wildell / Per Fahlstadius / Jeanette Falkheden

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