OUR CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION OF THE PARKTOWN ASSOCIATION

NAME:
The name of the Association shall be “The Parktown Association”.
OBJECTS:
1. To preserve the character of Parktown particularly the residential character of certain parts of Parktown namely Parktown West, Rockridge Road, The Valley Road and Princess Place/Park Lane in conformity with the conditions appearing in the Title Deeds of individual properties.
2. To recognise that Parktown is part of Greater Johannesburg and that residents are entitled to be involved in issues which affect their quality of life and therefore, to participate in planning and procedures on the wider scale and to work to this end.
3. To co-ordinate the efforts of members in making representations to the authorities.
4. To stimulate awareness amongst the public of the historic, architectural and aesthetic value of Parktown.
MEMBERSHIP:
1. There shall be four categories of membership, namely, Ordinary Members, Entrepreneurial Members, (together hereinafter referred to as “Members”), Honorary Members and Business Members. The details of such categories are as follows: 
  1. Members shall consist of natural persons who are not less than eighteen years of age, who are residents and/or owners in Parktown Township and who subscribe to the above objects.
  2. Honorary Members shall be those natural persons who, in the discretion of the Committee, are elected as such by it; and companies, associations or partnerships, who, though not owning or occupying fixed property in Parktown Township, are admitted to Honorary Membership by the Committee, because the Committee in its discretion has decided that it is in the interests of the Parktown Association that they be so admitted
  3. Entrepreneurial Members shall be Members who own and/or operate businesses from their homes in compliance with zoning bye-laws.
  4. Business Members shall consist of companies, associations or partnerships who own or occupy fixed property in Parktown Township and who have subscribed to the above objects;
2. Any Business Member shall be entitled to appoint one representative to attend, speak and vote on its behalf at any meeting of the Association.
3. All applications for any form of membership shall be made to and dealt with by the Committee or its duly authorised representatives.
MANAGEMENT:
1. The Management and Administration of the Association shall be vested in a Committee of not fewer than seven members.
2. The first meeting of a newly elected committee shall be convened by the Chairman not later than six weeks following its election.
3. At the first meeting of the newly elected committee, the members present shall elect a vice-chairman, honorary secretary and honorary treasurer; all of whom shall hold office until the next annual general meeting.
4. Committee Members shall be given not less than seven days’ notice of committee meetings.
5. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum and no business shall be transacted at any meeting of the committee unless a quorum is present.
6. In the absence of both the chairman and vice-chairman from any meeting, the members present shall elect a chairman.
7. The chairman shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote at all meetings.
8. Any elected or co-opted member absenting himself from three consecutive meetings of the committee without leave of absence shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the committee.
9. The committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy arising on the committee or co-opt additional members. Any person so appointed shall hold office until the next annual general meeting and have the right to vote.
10. The committee shall meet not less than quarterly.
11. If it is not practical for a meeting of the committee to be convened in accordance with the above provisions, a meeting of the committee may be conducted by means of a teleconference, or similar form of communication.
12. Apart from decisions taken in meetings in terms of clause 4, a decision may also be taken by the committee by means of communication between members of the committee by telephone, email or other form of communication agreed to by them.
POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE:
1. All funds of the Association shall be vested in the Committee.
2. The Committee shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Association and, if it considers it to be necessary and feasible, may take legal action to advance or defend the objects of the Association.
3. The Committee may at any time call a special general meeting of the Association, for which at least two days’ notice shall be given to members.
4. The Committee may establish sub-committees to assist it in the performance of any of its functions, on such terms it considers appropriate, and other members may be co-opted as members of such sub-committees.
5. Any Committee member who acts in a manner which is inconsistent with the Objects of the Association or in a manner inconsistent with any Committee decision may be removed from office by a majority of members at any constituted meeting of the Committee.
GENERAL MEETINGS:
1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held during every calendar year, unless postponed by the Committee and provided that an Annual General Meeting may not be postponed beyond the end of March of the following calendar year.
2. Notice to all ordinary general meetings shall be given in writing to all members at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting.
3. Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to any member or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by any member, shall not invalidate the proceedings at such a meeting.
4. A quorum at a general meeting shall be 25 paid-up members, failing which the meeting shall be adjourned for not more than 10 days when the members present shall constitute a quorum
5. No business shall be transacted at a general meeting unless there is a quorum present.
6. An extraordinary general meeting shall be held on receipt by the honorary secretary of a requisition signed by not fewer than 25 paid-up members, stating the reasons for requiring such extraordinary meeting. Such meeting shall be held within 21 days of receipt of such requisition by the honorary secretary who shall give at least 10 days’ notice to members. The quorum at such meeting shall be 40. Should the quorum not be present the same rules as for the quorum at general meetings shall apply.
7. The annual financial statements of the Association must be tabled for consideration and adoption at the first Annual General Meeting following the end of the financial year.
ELECTION OF A CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE:
1. The Chairman of the Association shall be proposed and seconded by any 2 members and shall be elected by a simple majority of the members present at each annual general meeting. He shall hold office until the next annual general meeting and may stand for re-election.
2. The other 6 committee members shall be elected by members of the Association at each annual general meeting, and hold office until the next annual general meeting.
3. Members of the outgoing committee may stand for re-election.
4. New candidates shall be proposed and seconded by members of the Association.
GENERAL:
1. Copies of the constitution shall be available to all members on request.
2. Notice of a motion for any change of the constitution must be submitted in writing to the honorary secretary at least 21 days before any general meeting.The proposed change to the constitution shall appear on the notice convening the meeting.Alterations to the constitution can only be carried by a two-thirds majority of members present at the meeting.
3. The amount of annual subscriptions shall be determined by a majority of members at a general meeting of the Association.
4. Any notice issued in terms of this constitution may be communicated by email or other digital electronic medium, if a member has provided an address for such a method of communication.
5. The Association shall be dissolved if there are fewer than 10 members present at 3 consecutive general meetings. All monies held by the Association shall be handed to a registered charity at the discretion of the committee.