ZULULAND UNDERSEA CLUB
CONSTITUTION
1. DESIGNATION:
1.1 The name of the Club shall be the ZULULAND UNDERSEA CLUB.
1.2 The acronym shall be ZUC.
1.3 The Club shall be managed as a non profit amateur watersports organisation
1.4 The headquarters shall be located at 254 COMMODORE CLOSE, MEERENSEE.
1.5 The postal address of the Club shall be 254 COMMODORE CLOSE, MEERENSEE, 3901
1.6 The territorial area of the Club, for purposes of country membership, shall comprise of the area
encompassed within a 30 kilometre radius, centred about the Club premises.
2. OBJECTS:
The objects of the Club are as follows:
2.1 To promote and maintain the interests of those engaged in all forms of amateur underwater sport, to foster and afford opportunity for submarine study and underwater photography and aid and assist in marine and freshwater research.
2.2 To promote and maintain the interests of those engaged in all amateur paddling disciplines conforming to the KWAZULU NATAL CANOEING UNION (KNCU) regulations.
2.3 To develop all club sporting activities, both for the competitive and non competitive member.
2.4 To co-operate with organisations with similar interests and objectives both nationally and internationally.
3 RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Affiliation Organisations:
3.1 Members participating in paddling activities shall be required to affiliate to the KNCU
Controlling Authorities:
3.2 Paddling and diving activities shall conform to applicable regulations issued by the Port, Maritime, Kwazulu Natal Parksboard (KZNPB) and KNCU Authorities.
3.3 Diver training within the club shall be conducted by suitably certified Diving Instructors from recognised Training Agencies and. approved by the Club Committee.
Legal :
3.4 The use of any leased land or property by the Club, shall be in accordance with the Lease Agreement signed on behalf of the Club.
4. MEMBERSHIP:
Categories :
The membership of the Club shall be divided into the following categories:
4.1 Temporary Membership shall be granted to an individual whose permanent residence is located outside of
the territorial area of the Club and who is already a member of a paddling or diving club, for a maximum continuous period of 3 months per annum. Such Temporary Membership shall be granted at the discretion of the Club Committee and no charge for such membership shall be levied.
4.2 Single Membership shall apply to individuals
4.3 Family Membership shall apply to married couples with or without children.
4.4 Country Membership shall apply to Individuals who reside permanently outside the territorial area of the Club.
4.5 Student Membership shall apply to any individual who is a “full-time” student.
4..6 Development Membership shall be granted to students at primary, secondary or tertiary educational institutions, who wish to receive formal training in paddling activities. Once the student has reached a satisfactory level of proficiency, they will be required to make application for appropriate membership should they intend to continue to participate in Club activities.
4.7 Honorary Life Membership may be granted to any member who is deemed worthy by reason of their exceptional service to the Club or associated organisations. The Club shall confer the privilege of such membership by resolution in an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting upon a recommendation from the Club Committee.
Applications for new members :
4.8 Applications for initial membership shall be made in writing on the prescribed application form, seconded by a member of the Club and submitted to the Club Committee together with the entry fee and applicable annual fee, for acceptance as a member of the Club. Applicants shall subscribe to the Club CONSTITUTION, CODE of CONDUCT, CLUB RULES & REGULATIONS and shall sign an Indemnity form..
The Club Committee shall have the right to interview applicants and shall have the right to refuse membership in which case all membership fees paid by the applicant will be refunded.
Membership renewals :
4.9 Annual renewals shall be in writing on the prescribed form and submitted together with the applicable annual fee, to the Club Committee for their records. Renewals shall become due on the first day of the Club’s financial year and shall be submitted with payment within a period of 60 days, failing which membership ceases.
Membership shall be reinstated only upon the completion of the prescribed form and payment of the prescribed entry and annual fees.
Termination of membership :
4.10 Any member may have their membership terminated at the discretion of the Club Committee, provided a resolution to that effect shall be passed by a two-thirds majority of those present at a meeting of the Club Committee.
The Club Committee shall inform the member of the proposed action and the reasons thereof in writing. The member shall be given the opportunity to address the Club Committee, within one week of the delivery to the member of the written notification, if they so wish. The Club Committee shall thereafter, within a period of 2 weeks, inform the member in writing of the Committee’s decision. The decision of the Club Committee shall be final and binding on the member. The member shall receive no refunds of entry or annual fees already paid to the Club during their term of membership.
Rights & Obligations inherent to Membership:
Voting rights
4.11 Members who have the right to vote at any Annual, Special or Extraordinary Meetings are as follows:
· Single Member (1 vote)
· Family Member (1 vote)
· Honorary Life Member (1 vote)
Use of Club facilities and equipment
4.12 Members will be entitled to make use of the facilities and equipment provided by the Club, within the framework as provided for in the CONSTITUTION and CODE of CONDUCT, CLUB RULES & REGULATIONS.
4.13 Visitors, accompanied by a member, may make use the Club facilities and limited use of equipment, for a limited period provided that they are signed in on each visit by the member, accompanied by the member at all times and obey all the required Club rules and regulations pertaining to the activities the visitor may be participating in.
The member accompanying visitors will assume full responsibility for the said visitors and their actions..
Visitors visiting the Club on a regular basis as defined in the CODE of CONDUCT CLUB RULES & REGULATIONS shall become eligible for membership.
Membership fees :
4.14 The entry and annual fees shall be determined by the Club Committee and approved by the members at the Annual General Meeting.
5 MANAGEMENT:
Club Committee :
5.1 The Club Committee, defined as MEMBERS representing the Club, who have been elected annually by its members and whose function it is to manage the Club affairs, within the framework as provided by the CONSTITUTION and an additional document known as the CODE OF CONDUCT, CLUB RULES & REGULATIONS and shall comprise of the following :
Chairperson
Vice-Chairperson
Treasurer
Secretary
Safety Officer
Rack Officer
Surf Ski Officer
Canoe Officer
Diving Officer
Public Relations Officer
Maintenance Officer.
Club Manager \ Caretaker
Portfolio responsibilities :
The Chairperson
5.2 The Chairperson of the Club Committee shall be the administrative head of the Club, preside at all General, Extraordinary and Committee meetings and shall have a deliberate as well as a casting vote. The Chairperson shall in consultation with the Club Committee coordinate all matters pertaining to the general administration and management of the affairs of the Club.
The Vice Chairperson
5.3 The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson and shall in the absence of the Chairperson assume the responsibilities of the Chairperson.
. The Treasurer
5.4 The Treasurer shall maintain correct books of accounts reflecting the full details of the income and expenditure of the Club, its assets and liabilities. The Treasurer shall report the financial status to the Club Committee meetings and shall prepare and present the balance sheet and income and expenditure accounts for the financial year end. to the members for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
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The Secretary
5.5 The Secretary shall conduct correspondence on behalf of the Club , issue all notices, keep and distribute minutes of all meetings and maintain an up to date register of all members, and pertinent details.
The Safety Officer
5.6 The Safety Officer shall ensure that all Club activities shall be conducted in a safe manner and that all applicable safety requirements from controlling authorities are complied with.
Other Office Bearers
5.7 Office Bearer responsibilities shall be compiled, as a separate document, by the Club Committee.
Club Manager \ Caretaker
5.8 The duties, responsibilities, privileges, remuneration and authority of the Club Manager or Caretaker shall be defined in a letter of appointment compiled by the Club Committee.
Appointment of Club Committee members :
5.9 With the exception of the Club Manager \ Caretaker, members shall be voted into office at an Annual or Special General Meeting.
The Manager \ Caretaker shall be appointed by the Club Committee.
Authority of the Club Committee:
The Club Committee shall be vested with the management of the affairs of the Club and with the control of it’s assets and funds and shall have the authority to :
5.10 Invest any funds of the Club in immovable property, first mortgage bonds on immovable property, government or municipal securities and financial institutions
5.11 Purchase, lease, hire or otherwise acquire any movable or immovable property and to erect any buildings thereon, and to sell, improve, lease or otherwise deal with all or any of the property or assets of the Club.
5.12 Raise or borrow money from time to time in such manner as it may think fit, and to mortgage or hypothecate all or any of the property of the Club.
5.13 Delegate any of its authority save those set out in 5.10, 5.11 and 5.12.above, to a sub-committee or sub-committee’s appointed by it from the Club Committee.
5.14 Make Rules or By-Laws and to amend, alter or repeal such Rules or By-Laws as it deems fit from time to time. and shall. compile and amend as necessary a document known as the “CODE of CONDUCT, CLUB RULES & REGULATIONS” which shall provide the framework to manage the general day to day affairs of the Club.
6. MEETINGS:
Club Committee Meetings :
6.1 The Club Committee shall meet on monthly basis and on such other occasions as it may deem necessary. Six persons shall form a quorum of the Club Committee..
6.2 Any Club Committee member whose Club membership is terminated in accordance with clause 4.10 or absenting themselves from three consecutive committee meetings without having received leave of absence or giving satisfactory reasons, shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club Committee.
The Club Committee shall, if necessary, co-opt a Club member to resume the functions of the previous Club Committee member..
Annual General Meetings :
6.3 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the 30th April in each and every year
6.4 A period of fourteen days notice of the day and hour and place of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members by means of published notice in the local newspaper and sent by post,. e-mail or fax to each member.
6.5 Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting other than the ordinary business must be lodged with the Secretary at least seven days before the date fixed for such a meeting.
6.6 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
· To receive the report from the Committee on the activities of the Club during the past year
· To receive the Treasurer’ report, balance sheet, and income and expenditure account as at the financial year end
· To consider resolutions submitted by members in accordance with clause 6.5
· To elect a new Club Committee
· To attend to general business placed on the agenda at the commencement of the meeting
6.7 All nominations for the Club Committee shall be made at the Annual General Meeting.
Special General Meetings :
6.8 A Special General Meeting of members shall be called by the Club Committee on the signed requisition of not less than 1 tenth of the membership stating the purposes for which the meeting is desired. Any such Special General Meeting shall be convened within twenty-one days of the handing of the requisition to the Secretary and no matters other than those for which the Special General Meeting is called may be discussed thereat.
6.9 A period of fourteen days notice of the day and hour and place of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members by means of published notice in the local newspaper and sent by post,. e-mail or fax to each member.
Extraordinary General Meetings :
6.10 The Club Committee shall be entitled whenever it deems it necessary to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of members.
6.11 Seven days notice shall be given of such meetings and only matters mentioned in such notice may be dealt with at the meeting.
Quorum :
6.12 A quorum of members at any Annual, Special or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be not less than one-fifth of the voting members on the membership roll of the Club.
7. FINANCES
Financial Year :
7.1 The financial year shall end on the 31 March of each year..
Management of funds :
7.2 Funds shall be derived from membership fees, donations, grants, sponsorships and fundraising activities.
7.3 The funds of the Club shall be paid into a the banking account as follows:
Account name: Zululand Kayak Club
Bank : FNB.
Branch : Richards Bay
Account no. 62055721867
7.4 All payments shall be controlled and accounted for by the Treasurer and shall be made in the following manner :
Cheque Payments : Cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and counter-signed by either the Chairman, Vice-Chairman or Secretary.. ( Two signatures required),
Electronic Transfer Payments : These shall be made by the Treasurer or in his absence by the Chairman or Vice Chairman. The Treasurer, however, shall remain responsible for all such transfers.
Cash Payments : These shall be made by the treasurer or by persons approved by the committee. All such