S.A.S.I.M CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The Society is an official group of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), "an Association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act, 1973, registered No. 05/00136/08", and its name shall be THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, hereafter known as SASIM.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

2.1 To promote the science, art, philosophy and practice of integrative medicine.

2.2 To define clearly the relationship between promoting health and treating disease.

2.3 To establish a philosophical foundation for the practice of integrative medicine.

2.4 To promote the study and practice of integrative medicine by establishing an
Educational Programme.

2.5 To keep a register of the practitioners completing such a study and to apply for registration with the HPCSA.

2.6 To protect the professional and legal interests of practitioners registered with the society.

2.7 To maintain professional standards for such practitioners.

2.8.1 To define and establish relationships amongst practitioners of integrative medicine and their colleagues in hospitals, academic centres of learning, private and government institutions, other medical professionals and interested bodies.

2.9 To maintain dialogue with practitioners and other health practitioners who are not members of SAMA.

2.10 To manage all matters related and beneficial to the achievement of the above mentioned goals, collectively or partially.

3. MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Any person who is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is eligible for membership, provided he / she has a special interest in the subject of integrative medicine.

3.1 FULL MEMBERSHIP

3.1.1 Any medical practitioner who is registered as such with the HPCSA and who is a full member of SAMA, shall be entitled to apply for full membership of the Society. Membership of SASIM shall at all times consist of at least 85% of full members of SAMA.

3.2 AFFILIATED MEMBERSHIP

3.2.1 Any medical practitioner who is registered with the HPCSA but not a member of SAMA shall be entitled to apply for affiliated membership. These members will enjoy all the benefits of the Society but shall not be allowed to participate or vote on matters concerning SAMA or have the right to be elected to any office of SAMA.

3.3 ASSOCIATED MEMBERS

3.3.1 Associated membership may be granted to persons who are not medical practitioners, but who are registered in terms of the Health Professions Act, the Nursing Act, the Veterinary Act or the Pharmacy Act and who are eligible for registration.

3.3.2 Associated members shall not have voting rights in matters affecting SASIM as a whole, and their participation in the activities of SASIM shall be limited to professional and technical matters.

3.3.3 Candidates for associated membership shall be approved by majority vote of the SASIM Executive Committee.

3.4 HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

Honorary Membership, as defined in the Articles of Association of SAMA, may be granted to:

3.4.1 a member of SASIM who has given exceptional service to the organisation

3.4.2 a non-member who, in the opinion of the members of SASIM, has by his\her actions served integrative medicine in an exceptional way.

3.4.3 Honorary Members shall be entitled to such privileges as may from time to time be determined by the Executive Committee of SASIM.

3.5 UNATTACHED MEMBERSHIP

Unattached Membership may be granted to foreign medical practitioners registered with or licensed by foreign Medical Boards or Councils.

3.6 LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Members who have been Full or Unattached Members of SASIM for at least 15 years in the aggregate, shall automatically become Life Members, provided that the Executive Committee of SASIM may, if circumstances justify it, according to its discretion grant Life Membership to a Member who does not meet the said requirement.

3.7 ELECTION

Candidates for all categories of membership shall be elected by majority votes by the Executive Committee, after having been duly proposed and seconded in writing by any two full members.

3.8 TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Every member shall remain a member until his / her membership is terminated either by his/ her resignation in writing addressed to the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer or by a decision of the Executive Committee, after due process, or by failing to pay the annual subscription fee. The amount of the subscription shall be determined by the executive committee.

3.9 SUSPENSION

The activities of SASIM shall be suspended if at any time its membership shall be less than eleven full members of SAMA.

4. CONTROL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

4.1 The general control and direction of the policy and the affairs of SASIM shall be vested in the Executive Committee of the Society.

4.2 In exercising control over SASIM, the Executive Committee shall at all times abide by the Articles of Association of SAMA.

4.3 The SASIM Executive Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-chairperson, and Honorary Secretary/Treasurer and four or six members.

4.4 The Executive Committee shall hold office for a period of two years. The election of the members of the Executive Committee shall be by popular vote at the annual general meeting of SASIM.

4.5 The Honorary Secretary / Treasurer may call for postal nominations for the new Executive Committee. Notice of the election and a request for nominations will be despatched at least 30 days before the Annual General Meeting. Each nomination must be referred to the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer and must be signed by the proposer, the seconder and the candidate. The closing time for the nominations will be 48 hours before the first day of the Annual General Meeting.

4.6 A list of the office-bearers, together with a complete list of the members of SASIM, shall be furnished annually to the Chief Executive of SAMA within thirty days of the election of such office-bearers.

4.7 The Honorary Secretary/Treasurer shall keep records of all the meetings of SASIM and of its Executive Committee and shall conduct all correspondence concerning the affairs of SASIM. He/she shall receive all monies due to SASIM and shall make all disbursements authorised by the Executive Committee.

5. MEETINGS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

5.1 The Annual General Meeting of SASIM shall be held on a date determined by the Executive Committee.

5.2 Extraordinary General Meetings of SASIM may be held from time to time, and shall be called by the Executive Committee or on the written request of eleven (11) full members of SASIM.

5.3 Voting by proxy, according to the Articles of SAMA, shall be allowed at all general meetings.

6. ACTION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

6.1 SASIM may take such action as may be deemed necessary in all matters affecting the legitimate interests of its members, provided that SAMA as such be not involved in or pledged to any actions, and that any action contemplated by SASIM is in conformity with the policy of SAMA.

6.2 Should SASIM refer a matter affecting the interests of its members to the National Council or the Board of Directors of SAMA for action, it shall take no further independent action unless requested to do so by the National Council or the Board of Directors.

7. ORGANISATION

7.1 It shall be competent for SASIM to allow the formation of sub-groups of the Society within the framework of one or more of the branches or divisions of SAMA or in such other manner as may be desirable. Such sub-groups may be allowed powers or independent action in local matters provided that such action is not in conflict with the general policy and the rules of SASIM and of SAMA in general.

7.2 Such sub-groups shall elect a Chairperson, an Honorary Secretary/Treasurer, and an Executive Committee consisting of 3 members annually at the annual general meeting of the sub-group which shall be held 1 (one) month prior to the annual general meeting of SASIM.

7.3 Reports of local action taken shall be submitted by the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of the sub-group to the Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of SASIM.

7.4 Each sub-group shall have a minimum membership of four full members.

8. SUBSCRIPTIONS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE.

An annual subscription shall be payable by members of SASIM, with exception of Life Members, to procure funds for the execution of the work of SASIM. The Executive Committee shall determine the subscription fee.

9. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE.

The Honorary Secretary/Treasurer shall submit an Annual Report and an Annual Financial Statement respectively at the Annual General Meeting of SASIM. A copy of each shall thereafter be sent to the Chief Executive of SAMA within thirty (30) days of the meeting.

10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Amendments to the Constitution shall be effected only if passed by a two-thirds majority of those paid up voting members in person or by proxy at an Annual General Meeting or extraordinary meeting of SASIM. The National Council or the Board of Directors of SAMA shall approve any amendment to the constitution of SASIM before becoming operative.

11. DISSOLUTION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

In the event of the dissolution of SASIM, any remaining assets, after all debts had been settled and all obligations discharged, shall not be paid or given to, or divided among the members of SASIM, but shall be given or transferred to a specialty or special interest group of SAMA engaged in activities similar to those for which SASIM was established. Members attending the final general meeting of SASIM or of its Executive Committee will designate such group. The assets may also be transferred or given to SAMA.

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