Constitution

1. NAME
The name of the Association shall be the Powder Metallurgy Association of South Africa.

2. ADDRESS
The Address of the Association shall be the address of the Chairman of the Association.

3. AIMS
The aims of the Association shall be
3.1 To further Powder Metallurgy and related topics in all branches of science and industry
3.2 To arrange meetings of powder metallurgists (and workers in associated disciplines) in South Africa.
3.3 To act as liaison between members of the Association and the MPIF or other bodies.

4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP
There shall be three classes of membership, viz.:
4.1.1 Ordinary Membership, which shall be open to all persons interested in powder metallurgy and related topics.
4.1.2 Honorary Membership, which may be conferred upon persons of distinction in Science or Industry or who have rendered outstanding service to the Association.
4.1.3 Institutional Membership, which shall be open to scientific institutions, business firms or other corporate bodies which have an interest in powder metallurgy.
4.2 ACCEPTANCE AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
4.2.1 Ordinary Members: Any person duly applying to the Chairman shall be accepted as a member and shall continue as a member unless he notifies the Chairman in writing, of his intention to resign. Provided that any person who shall be more than one calendar year in arrears with his subscription shall be deemed to have resigned, and
Provided further that any person whose conduct may bring the Association into disrepute may be expelled from the Association by a two-thirds majority vote of members present at a duly constituted General Meeting of the Association. Such a person shall be given the opportunity of defending himself personally at such a meeting or in writing and for this purpose shall be notified by the Chairman that a motion of expulsion is to be placed on the Agenda for such meeting.
4.2.2 Honorary Members: Any member may submit to the Committee nominations for Honorary membership for any person whom he may consider to have rendered exceptional services to the Association or to Science or Industry. Such nomination shall be supported by a written citation of the nominee's claims. The Committee shall investigate the citations and if the claims made therein are justified shall submit to nomination to a General Meeting of the Association at which a vote shall be taken to determine whether the nominee shall be elected to Honorary Membership.
Honorary Membership shall not be called upon to pay dues or subscriptions to the Association but shall be able to resign or to be expelled in the same way as ordinary members.
4.2.3 Institution Members: The rules for ordinary members shall apply mutatis mutandis to Institutional Members.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
5.1 Ordinary members shall pay such subscriptions as shall from time to time be decided by the Committee provided that such subscriptions shall not exceed Twenty-five Rand per annum. Provided further that a member who is a bona fide student at a recognised educational institution shall be exempt from half his subscriptions.
5.2 Institutional Members shall pay an annual subscription of One Hundred Rand.
5.3 Any member who is more than three months in arrears with his subscription shall be considered not to be in good standing.

6. ORGANISATION
6.1 Committee: The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary and five other members.
6.2 Election of committee: The Chairman and three members of the Committee shall be elected by a simple majority of votes at the duly constituted annual general meeting. Prior to the election the outgoing Committee shall nominate two members from among their number to serve on the new Committee. Provided that such nominee may be chosen to be Chairman by the meeting and in this event additional Committee members shall be elected to make up the required number.
6.3 Powder of co-option: The Chairman shall be empowered to co-opt any member to its ranks to fill any vacancy occurring by reason of resignation or otherwise. Such co-opted members shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
6.4 Quorum: Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Committee.
6.5 Committee Meetings: The Committee shall meet at least twice during any calendar year. One of these meetings shall take place not more than six, or less than three, weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

7. MEETINGS
7.1 Annual General Meeting: The Society's year shall end on October 31 and the Annual General Meeting shall be held in February. At least two weeks notice of such meeting shall be given in writing to all members, together with the Agenda for the meeting
7.1.1 Presentation of a report on the year's activities of the Association by the Chairman.
7.1.2 Submission to members of the duly audited financial statements of account of the Association.
7.1.3 The election of a new Committee.
7.1.4 Such other matters of general business as have been submitted by members to the Secretary in sufficient time to be included in the Agenda.
7.2 Special General Meeting: The Chairman shall, at the request of the Committee or of four members of the Association, call a special general meeting, the business of which shall be notified in writing to members not less than seven days before the date of such meeting. No business other than the business specified shall be transacted at such meeting.
7.3 Quorum: Twenty-five members shall constitute a quorum at a general meeting of the Association. Should no quorum be present the matter shall be deferred until the next meeting of the Association (ordinary or general) and the members present at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute a quorum.
7.4 Ordinary Meeting: Ordinary meeting shall be called by the Chairman at the request of the Committee, for the presentation of papers or any other purpose in pursuance of the aims of the Association. "Ordinary Meetings" shall be deemed to include conference, symposia or similar functions.
7.5 Voting at Meetings: All members in good standing shall be empowered to vote at meetings, provided that a member in good standing may authorise another member to vote on his behalf. Such proxy authorisation shall be made in writing and stamped with a ten-cent revenue stamp duly cancelled. Proxies shall only be deemed to be valid if they are recorded with the Secretary before the commencement of the meeting.

8. FINANCIAL
8.1 The Committee shall be empowered to open such banking, savings or deposit accounts as it shall see fit, and the funds of the Association shall be deposited in such account which shall be under the control of the Auditors. The signatories required for such account shall be any two of the Chairman, Secretary and one other Committee member nominated by the Committee for this purpose.
8.2 Assets: The assets of the Association shall vest in the Association independent of its members and no member shall have any right of claim thereto except in payment for services rendered or in repayment of expenditure undertaken on behalf of the Association with the authority of the Committee.
8.3 The liability of the members if limited.
8.4 Each member of the Association undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Association. In the event of its being wound up while he is a Member, or within one year afterwards, for payment of the debts and liabilities of the Association contracted before he ceases to be a Member, and of the costs and charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributors among themselves, such amount as may be required, not exceeding ten Rand.
8.5 Accounts: A written record of the Association's finances shall be kept by the Chairman or such other Committee member as may be decided by the Committee. An annual statement shall be prepared and submitted to the Annual General Meeting, duly countersigned by the Auditor.

9. LANGUAGE
In cases of uncertainty in the interpretation of the wording, the English wording of the constitution shall take precedence.

10. WINDING UP
In the event of the Association being unable to exercise its function in terms of Clause 3 of this Constitution, for any reason, the last duly elected Committee members shall wind up the affairs of the Association. Any funds or assets remaining after such winding up shall be donated to an educational or scientific body at the discretion of the winding-up committee.

11. AMENDMENTS
This Constitution shall not be added to, amended or rescinded save by the two-thirds majority of the members present and voting (or represented by proxy) at a duly constituted general meeting of the Association.

February 1980