NAME The Society will be known as
The Vascular Society of Southern Africa
(VASSA) (hereafter referred to as the
Society).
FUNCTION The Vascular Society of
Southern Africa acts as a special group
of the South African Medical
Association.
OBJECTIVES The objectives of the
Society are:
To aim at the improvement and
advancement of the study of vascular
disease in general.
To act as mouthpiece for medical
and paramedical persons with an
interest in vascular disease.
The advancement of knowledge and
the science of vascular surgery.
To stimulate research in all
aspects of vascular diseases.
MEMBERSHIP
Full Membership
Any member of the South African
Medical Association who is resident
in the Republic of South Africa and
who has a special interest in the
treatment in actual practice and the
handling of vascular conditions may
apply for full membership of the
Society.
Full membership is obtained by a
majority vote of the Executive
Committee of the Society after the
applicant has been proposed and
seconded in writing by two full
members of the Society.
Each full member retains his
membership until it is terminated.
By the member handing in his
written resignation to the Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer or until the
Executive Committee of the Society
comes to such a decision by means of
a majority vote;
After a year has elapsed and a
member has failed to pay his
outstanding subscription fees, the
Executive Committee may cancel his
membership. Membership which has
thus been cancelled may be reviewed
after the outstanding subscription
fees have been paid. During this
period of cancellation of
membership, the member will not have
the right to vote and may not be
elected to an office.
The Society will be dissolved if
there should at any stage be less than
11 (eleven) full members.
Special Member
Persons in the following
categories may request to be
accepted as Special Members of the
Society.
Physicians who are not resident
in the Republic of South Africa on
the understanding that they have a
special interest in the treatment in
actual practice and handling of
vascular conditions and that they
are members of their respective
national medical societies wherever
such societies exist;
Registrars and other trainees
who are resident in the Republic of
South African and who have a special
interest in the treatment in actual
practice and handling of vascular
conditions;
Members of paramedical,
technical and nursing profession who
are resident in the Republic of
South African on the understanding
that they have a special interest in
vascular diseases due to the nature
of their activities and that they
are members of their respective
professional societies.
The election of special Members
takes place by means of a majority
vote of the Executive Committee of
the Society after the applicant has
been proposed and seconded in
writing by two members of whom one
has to be a full member of the
Society.
Special Members have all the
qualifications and advantages of
full members except the right to
vote and they may not be elected to
an office.
Members, who are thus elected,
will be Special Members of the
Society but will not be special
members of the South African Medical
Association.
ADMINISTRATION
The general administration and
handling of the policies and
interests of the Society is in the
hands of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is
elected for a period of two years
and consists of:
a President
an Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer, and
four additional members.
The election of the Executive
Committee takes place by means of an
ordinary vote during the General
Meeting of the Society.
The President, in addition to
his ordinary vote, has a casting
vote in case the voting should
result in a tie.
The Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer of the Society
keeps minutes of all meeting of the
Society or the Executive Committee
and handles all correspondence of
the Society. He receives all moneys,
and effects all payments that have
been endorsed by the Executive
Committee on behalf of the Society.
The Secretary-General of the
South African Medical Association
will be provided with a list of
office bearers and all members of
the Society after every General
Meeting.
MEETINGS
A General Meeting of the Society
will as far as possible be held at
the same time as the biennial
meeting of the Society.
Other meetings or research
discussions may from time to time be
arranged by the Executive Committee.
This will include meetings which
will take place in co-operation with
other societies that have an
interest in vascular diseases.
Special General Meetings may be
arranged if eleven (11) full members
of the Society address such a
request in writing to the Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer.
Voting by proxy will be allowed
at the General Meetings and the form
and fashion thereof must correspond
to the regulations concerning
proxies as defined in the
Constitution of the South African
Medical Association.
The Executive Committee meets
biannually or if not possible, not
less than once per year.
AUTHORITY AND POWER
The Society may take legal and
other steps, as considered by the
Executive Committee, in all matters
concerning the legal interests of
its members; provided that the South
African Medical Association is not
implicated or committed due to such
action and provided that any action
considered by the Society is in
keeping with the policy of the South
African Medical Association at the
time of such action.
If the Society should refer any
matter concerning the interests of
its members to the Federal council
of the South African Medical
Association for consideration and
attention, the Society shall not
take any further independent action
until such time as the Society is
expressly requested by the Federal
Council to do so.
SUBSCRIPTION FEES
Annual subscription fees are
payable by all members of the
Society to provide funds for the
activities of the Society.
Subscription fees are
established by means of a majority
vote during the General Meeting of
the Society.
ORGANISATION
The Society may allow the
forming of sub-groups of the Society
within the framework of branches or
divisions of the South African
Medical Association or in ways such
as may be desired.
A sub-group has to elect an
Executive Committee consisting of a
Chairman, and Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer and two members
during an Annual General Meeting of
the sub-group.
Sub-groups may be allowed to act
independently in matters of local
interest provided that such action
is not contrary to the policy and
rules of the Society and the South
African Medical Association.
Each sub-group must report to
the Honourary Secretary/Treasurer of
the Society on all activities of the
sub-group.
ANNUAL REPORTS
The Honourary
Secretary/Treasurer of the Society
has to submit an annual report and a
financial statement to the General
Meeting of the Society. Within 30
(thirty) days after the Meeting, the
Secretary-General of the South
African Medical Association has to
be provided with copies thereof.
