Hermanus Photographic Society
Club Constitution

Club Constitution

1.           NAME AND HEADQUARTERS

The name of the Club shall be the “Hermanus Photographic Society” or “Hermanus Fotografiese Vereniging” hereinafter referred to as the “Club” and the Head Quarters shall be situated in Hermanus.

2.           OBJECTIVES OF THE HERMANUS PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

The Club is established to bring together all those interested in photography

  • to foster and encourage study, research and experimental work in photography;
  • to provide facilities for the interchange of information and ideas among members; 
  • to rent or acquire for the use and benefit of the Club and its members screen projecting and any other equipment;to rent or otherwise acquire Club premises for the use of the Club and its members;
  • to sell, let or otherwise deal with the assets of the Club;to promote when considered advisable or desirable functions, exhibitions or displays having a bearing on the activities of the Club;
  • to cater for all such functions;
  • to recover moneys due to the Club;
  • to do all lawful things which are incidental or conductive to the attainment of the objects of the Club; and
  • to generally further the interest of the members.

3.           MEMBERSHIP

Anyone who is interested in photography shall be eligible for election as a member of the Club provided that he or she shall be accepted by the Committee.

The following classes of membership shall exist:

Honorary Members

Honorary members shall consist of persons whom honorary membership is conferred upon by the Club at an Annual General Meeting by reason of such person or persons having rendered distinguished or outstanding services to the Club or to photography or by reason of such person being deemed by the Club for other good and adequate reason to be worthy of Honorary Membership.

Ordinary Members

There shall be three sections of ordinary membership, namely:

  • Active members
  • Social members
  • Scholars

Admission to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee which shall have the right to accept or reject any application for membership. Should any application for membership be rejected, such applicant shall not have the right to be informed of the grounds whereon or the reason why the application was not accepted. All applicants must fill in the official application form.

The Committee shall keep a register of all Club members.

A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if:

  • He/she gives notice of his/her resignation in writing to the Club.
  • If any member is more than three months in arrears with his/her subscription or any other moneys due to the Club, he/she shall, after a written warning from the Committee, cease to be a member of the Club.
  • The Committee of the Club, if satisfied after investigation that a member is by reason of his or her behaviour undesirable, may impose any of the following penalties:
    • Suspension from the exercise of the privileges of membership for such period as may be deemed fit.
    • To call for resignation of membership.
    • Expulsion from the Club.

4.           SUBSCRIPTION FEES

There shall be an annual subscription fee as decided upon from time to time by the Committee.

  • Subscriptions shall become payable upon acceptance for membership and thereafter annually in advance, not later than the end of March in each and every year.
  • No subscription fee shall be paid by Honorary Members of the Club.
  • Any member who fails to pay his/her subscription fee within the stated period shall automatically become delinquent and shall be denied the privileges of the Club until such time as such subscription is paid in full.
  • Any member remaining delinquent for three months consecutively shall cease to be a member of the Club but may with the approval of the Committee be restored to membership upon making payment of all arrear subscriptions. The Committee may, however, extend this period if they are of the opinion that the circumstances warrants such extension.

5.           MANAGEMENT

The Club shall have the following office bearers:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • A minimum of one and a maximum of four ordinary Committee members.

The Committee members shall have the following powers:

  • To co-opt members to the Committee and to fill any vacancies that may occur.
  • To form sub-committees for special purposes.
  • To decide all points of dispute.
  • To make, vary and repeal rules and regulations of the business and objects of the Club, its members and visitors.
  • To regulate, manage and control the business of the Club.
  • To receive, disburse and invest funds in the interest of the Club.
  • To open an account in the name of the Club with a Commercial Bank and to operate thereon and to appoint at least two members of the Committee to transact electronically
  • .In the case where it is considered necessary, to co-opt any other person, whether a member of the Club or not, to attend any meeting of the Committee in advisory capacity, such co-opted person however, not being given the power to vote at such meeting.
  • To do any act, matter or thing which would or might be done by the Club.

The Committee shall meet at least once before each Club meeting and 50% of the members shall constitute a quorum. All matters shall be decided by the majority of members present, when the President shall have a deliberate vote and a casting vote should the voting be equal. Voting to be by a show of hands or by ballot.

At all meetings, whether General or Committee, the President or in his absence, the Vice President, shall preside. In the absence of the Vice President, the meeting shall elect a Chairperson.

Any Committee member who misses three consecutive meetings without valid reason, will be asked to resign.

6.           MEETINGS

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the months of February in each calendar year.

Notice of such meeting, together with the agenda thereof shall be published at least 21 days prior to the date of such meeting.

25% of members who were fully paid up members at the last meeting of the previous year and members who became such since then, and who are fully paid up, shall constitute a quorum at the Annual General Meeting. Should there be no quorum within fifteen minutes of the advertised time of the meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for 30 minutes. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present, those members present shall constitute a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was called.

The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

  • To confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.
  • The presentation and confirmation of the Balance Sheet and Accounts.
  • The report of the President for the preceding year.
  • The election of a Management Committee.
  • Any resolution concerning the affairs of the Club of which at least 14 days’ notice shall have been given to the Secretary.

Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be initiated by no less than 25% of the members of the club upon notification to the Secretary stating the business of the meeting.

The Committee may also call a Special General Meeting.

Notice of any Special General Meeting shall be published at least 14 days before the date of such meeting.

No business other than that for which the Special General Meeting is convened, shall be considered.

Minutes

The Secretary shall keep correct minutes of all Committee, Annual General and Special General Meetings of the Club.

Such minutes and extracts therefrom signed by the President and Secretary shall be accepted as evidence of the matters stated in such minutes and extracts.

Club meetings

Club meetings shall be held as required, but at least once a month except for the month of December.

Voting

All voting shall be by show of hands or by ballot if so decided by the Meeting. All members shall have one vote at any Meeting.

The President or Chairperson of any Meeting shall have, in addition, a casting vote.

No visitors or guests at a Club Meeting, Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall have the right to vote.

Changes to the Constitution

Notice of any motion for the amendment, deletion or addition to the Constitution of the Club shall be given to the Secretary in writing at 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting or proposed date of a Special General Meeting, at which such motion is to be put.

All members are to be given at least 14 days’ notice of the Meeting.

A two-thirds majority of fully paid-up Members shall be required to approve such Motion.

7.           FINANCE

A Current Account or Savings Account shall be opened in the name of the Club with a Commercial Bank. The account shall be a two-signatory account.

No major expenditure shall be incurred unless authorised by the Committee.

A statement of Revenue and Expenditure and a Balance Sheet for each year ending 31 December shall be presented to members at the following Annual General Meeting.

The accounts shall be audited annually by an Honorary Auditor appointed by the Committee if Club or Committee members so request.

8.           RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Committee may from time to time make such rules and regulations as it may judge to be necessary for the conduct of the business of the Club.

9.           LIABILITY OF MEMBERS

The Club shall be a Body Corporate having an existence independent of its members, with perpetual succession, and all its assets shall be registered or held in the name of the Club.

The individual members shall not be liable to meet the debts, engagements or liabilities of the Club which shall be incurred in the name of the Club and the liability of the members shall be limited solely to the amounts due by them in respect of their subscriptions.

10.      DISSOLUTION

If upon winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be distributed amongst the members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to some other Club, Association, Body or Institution having objects similar in whole or in part to the objects of the Club to be determined by the members of the Club at or before the time of dissolution  or, in default thereof, by the President of the Club, or may be placed in trust with the PSSA pending the founding of a new club in Hermanus.

Updated on 19 January 2022 and ratified by members at the annual general meeting on 2 February 2022.