KIRSTENBOSCH BRANCH CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The branch shall be named “The Kirstenbosch Branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa”, (“the Branch”).

The Botanical Society of South Africa shall hereinafter be referred to as the Society.

The Branch shall be subject to all the terms of the Constitution of the Society, so far as are applicable.

2. MEMBERSHIP

The Branch shall consist of person who are members of the Society with postal addresses within the area of the Branch, and who have not signified to the Secretary of the Branch their dissent to being members of the Branch, together with such other members of the Society who have on application to the Committee of the Branch, been accepted by it as members.

The Committee shall have the power to refuse or cancel membership of the Branch, which power shall not be arbitrarily exercised.

3. AREA

The area of the Branch shall be determined from time to time by the Council of the Society.

4. OBJECTS

To further the objects of the Society within the area of the Branch.

5. MANAGEMENT

There shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Branch from the members a committee of 9 persons which may be subsequently be increased to 12 persons, who shall at their first meeting appoint a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman and such other officers as they shall think fit, provided that no person shall hold the post of Chairman or Vice-Chairman for more than three consecutive years at a time.

The Chairman of the Council of the Society and the Curator(s) of any regional garden(s) falling within the area of the Branch shall be ex officio additional member(s) of the Branch committee.

At each Annual General Meeting one-third of the elected members of the Committee shall retire from office; a retiring member shall be eligible for re-election.

The Committee may co-opt additional members and any vacancy occurring between annual general meetings may be filled by the Committee.

The Branch shall nominate one representative to serve on the Council of the Society.

The Committee shall be entrusted with the encouragement of the preservation of native flora within its area and also of the funds specially donated and subscribed for that purpose.

The Committee may appoint sub-committees for special purposes and may allocate funds for the use of such committees.

Each sub-committee shall render a report and statement of account to the Committee annually and timeously for its presentation at the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee shall annually render a report and statement of account to the Branch which shall be embodied in the final report and financial statement of the Society.

The Committee shall submit to the Council of the Society within fourteen days after its meetings, two copies of its minutes, reports, financial statements and other documentation.

The Committee shall submit to the Council of the Society within fourteen days following the Annual General Meeting of the Branch, a budget of requirements for the ensuing financial year.

6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Branch shall be held approximately one month before the Annual General Meeting of the Society at a time and place as the Committee may determine and after giving members not less than 21 days notice.

Business at the Annual General Meeting shall be as follows:
• Annual report of the chairman
• Financial statement and auditor’s report
• Election of committee members
• Consideration of motions, notice of which must be received by the Committee 30 days before the Annual General Meeting.
• Any other business, with the permission of the Chair.

One or more auditors may be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting or at such other meetings that may be called specially for the purpose. Should any vacancy occur the Committee shall nominate an auditor or fill any vacancy.

At general meetings 30 members of the Branch shall form a quorum

Should a quorum not be present the meeting shall be adjourned to a time and place to be decided on by the Committee when those members present shall constitute a quorum

At a general meeting, the Chairman shall preside or in his absence the vice-Chairman and in the event of both being absent another member of the Committee.

7. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

A special general meeting of members may at any time be called by the Committee and shall be called at such time and place as the Committee may decide on the receipt of a requisition to the Committee signed by at least 25 members. Such requisition shall state specifically the reason for such meeting and the matters to be discussed. If no quorum be present the matter shall fall away.

No other business than that for which the special meeting is called shall be transacted.

8. CHANGE IN CONSTITUTION

No change in the Constitution of the Branch shall be valid unless approved of by the Council of the Society. Notice of a motion for the change of the Constitution must reach the Committee at least 90 days before the meeting at which it is to be discussed. Such a motion may only be discussed at an annual general meeting or a special general meeting. To be passed such a motion must receive two-thirds of the votes cast by the members present.