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(REVISED OCTOBER 2008)
CHAPTER I
CONSTITUTION, AIMS AND OBJECTS
1. The Society shall, by Royal Charter, be called the Royal Society of South Africa. It shall consist of Fellows, Honorary Fellows, Fellows (Foreign) and Members elected solely on the basis of
scientific standing. The headquarters shall be in Cape Town.
2. Council shall consist of fifteen Members of Council, including the President, two Vice-Presidents, a General Secretary, a Foreign Secretary, a Treasurer, an Editor and a News Bulletin Editor.
3. The aim of the Society shall be the furtherance of Science. To this end it shall endeavour to hold regular Meetings at Cape Town, and at other Branches or Centres sanctioned by Council;
it shall regularly publish a Volume of scientific standing, containing the Proceedings and Transactions of the Society, and any other matter sanctioned by Council; it shall maintain a Library of
scientific value; it shall arrange Lectures and Symposia on appropriate topics; it shall at its discretion bestow Medals and other Awards; and it shall take such actions as will advance the aims
of the Society.
4. Ordinary Meetings shall be held at the headquarters in Cape Town on the third Wednesday in each month, except as shall otherwise be determined by Council. The Session shall normally
be from March to June and August to November in any year. At the Anniversary Meeting, which shall be the first Ordinary Meeting of each Session, Council shall present a report on the
proceedings of the Society during the previous Session and on its financial position; and the newly elected President, Officers and other members of Council shall also be announced.
CHAPTER II
ELECTION AND ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
1. A Candidate for Membership shall be proposed in writing or by email by two persons who shall be Fellows or Members of the Society. Self-proposals for membership shall also be
accepted if accompanied by a brief letter of motivation. The Membership application shall specify the name, place of residence and contact details of the candidate.
2. Membership applications, once approved by Council, either at a meeting or by electronic circulation, shall be listed in the News Bulletin or tabled at a suitable Branch Meeting. Any
objections by Fellows and Members in respect of a Candidate should be communicated to Council, who shall be responsible for making a final decision.
3. Upon acceptance of the applications and payment of subscriptions required by the Statutes, the names of new Members shall be recorded in the Minute Book at the first available
opportunity. If any person refuses so to subscribe, that person’s election shall be void. 4. Members may use the lettering MRSSAf to attest to their Membership.
ELECTION AND ADMISSION OF STUDENT MEMBERS
1. Any bona fide scholar, undergraduate, postgraduate or postdoctoral student may be admitted as a Student Member.
2. Persons elected as Student Members must provide certified evidence of status.
3. Persons elected as Student Members shall be exempted from the entrance payment and shall become a Student Member on payment of an annual subscription set by Council The
election and Admission of every Student Member into the Society shall be recorded in the Minute Book.
CHAPTER III
ELECTION AND ADMISSION OF FELLOWS
1. There shall be two classes of Fellows, Honorary and Ordinary. The number of Honorary Fellows shall be limited by their election of no more than one in any year; they shall be elected
from persons who have done scientific research of exceptional distinction in South Africa. The number of Ordinary Fellows elected in any one year and the total number of Ordinary Fellows
on the Register at any time shall be limited to figures which shall be decided from time to time by Council, mindful of the intent of the Charter, and shall be written into the Standing Orders as
provided for in Chapter XV; they shall be elected from persons who have done outstanding work in the furtherance of science as evidenced by original publications and who are resident in
southern Africa.
2. Candidates for Fellowship may be proposed by Fellows or Members of the Society, and elected at the Society’s headquarters in Cape Town or at a convenient Branch meeting.
3. A Candidate for Ordinary Fellowship shall be proposed and recommended by a Certificate in writing. The Certificate shall be signed by four or more Fellows or Members, of whom two
shall certify their recommendation from personal knowledge. Where one or more Members wish to propose a Candidate, two or more of the supporting signatories shall be Fellows in good
standing. The Certificate shall specify the name, degrees, profession, qualifications and usual place of residence of the Candidate. It shall include a brief but comprehensive statement of the
Candidate’s achievements for citation as in Statute 6 of this Chapter. The Certificate, together with the Candidate’s curriculum vitae and list of publications, shall be delivered to the General
Secretary before the thirtieth day of July. Electronic Certificates shall be acceptable provided that confirmatory emails are received from individual signatories. No member of Council shall
propose, second or support any Candidate in writing, save as is provided in Statutes 8 and 9 of this Chapter.
4. At the third meeting of Council in a particular year, the names of all Candidates duly proposed or submitted to the Society shall be collected by the General Secretary, and a list prepared
which shall be circulated to Members of Council who are Fellows and who shall form an Adjudication Panel. The Adjudication Panel shall select from such a list of Candidates no more than the
maximum number authorised for any year under Statute 1 of this Chapter to be recommended by Council to all Fellows of the Society for election, and no names shall be submitted to the
Society except those names so proposed. A Candidate who has not been selected shall be considered for selection in the following year, provided that the same Certificate shall not be valid
for more than five years. Prior to reconsideration the General Secretary shall obtain from one or more of the proposers a list of any further degrees, qualifications, appointments or
achievements of the Candidate. Nominations are strictly confidential until Candidates have been recommended by Council.
5. Thereafter the General Secretary shall send by email a Ballot Paper to every Fellow of the Society containing the names of selected Candidates, who have indicated their willingness to be
elected to Fellowship, stating their degrees, professions, qualifications, and citations. Fellows shall be entitled to return by email to the General Secretary one Ballot Paper indicating the
names of all Candidates they wish to be elected. At the time of Election, Scrutineers shall report to the President the names of the Candidates who have obtained the votes of at least three
-fourths of the Fellows voting, and the President shall announce those names from the Chair as Elected Fellows of the Society.
6. In cases where Council is of the opinion that in the interests of the advancement of Science, it is desirable that persons be elected Fellows of the Society otherwise than is provided by
Statutes 2 to 5 of this Chapter, it may recommend to the Society for election a person who has rendered distinguished and conspicuous service to the cause of Science in South Africa. No
more than three such recommendations shall be made in any one year. Selection of Council-nominated Candidates for Fellowship shall take place at the third meeting of Council in a
particular year.
7. At the Ordinary Meeting next following the Meeting of Council at which such selection has been made, the person nominated shall be proposed for Election in accordance with Statute 3,
save that the proposal shall be signed by four Members of Council, no distinction being made between personal and general knowledge, and that the ground on which the Candidate has been
nominated by Council shall alone be stated as the qualification. The Election shall otherwise be in accordance with Statute 5 of this Chapter.
8. Persons elected as Honorary Fellows shall be exempted from the entrance payment and from annual subscriptions. Upon election and payment of subscriptions required by the Statutes,
new Fellows shall be inducted on the first suitable occasion at any Branch of the Society. Immediately after the reading of the Minutes has been concluded the person shall sign the Fellows’
Book, and be introduced to the President who shall say, “I do, by the Authority and in the Name of the Royal Society of South Africa, admit you a Fellow thereof”. If a Fellow is unable to
attend the Induction Ceremony within a year of Election, it shall be deemed sufficient to subscribe the Obligation given in Statute 12 of this Chapter, on a separate form, otherwise the
person’s Election shall be void. The Election and Admission of every Fellow shall be recorded in the Minute Book.
9. Every person elected a Fellow of the Society shall, before admission, subscribe the Obligation in the following words:- We who have hereunto subscribed, do hereby promise each for
himself, that we will endeavour to pursue the good of the Royal Society of South Africa, and to pursue the ends for which the same was founded; and that we will be present at the Meetings
of the Society as often as conveniently we can, especially at the Anniversary Elections and upon extraordinary occasions; and that we will observe the Statutes and Orders of the said
Society. Provided that whensoever any of us shall signify to the President under his hand, that he desires to withdraw from the Society, he shall be free from this Obligation for the future.
10. Fellows may use the lettering FRSSAf or Hon. FRSSAf, as appropriate, to attest to their Fellowship.
CHAPTER IV
PROPOSALS AND APPOINTMENT OF FELLOWS (FOREIGN)
1. Fellows (Foreign) shall be appointed from persons who are neither permanently resident in South Africa nor Fellows of the Society and who have a full, current interest in South African
Science and its advancement, to the country’s and the Society’s benefit. Two categories of Fellow (Foreign) are appointed. a) Foreign Fellows who are of exceptional scientific standing will
be Honorary Fellow (Foreign) and will have the same privileges as Honorary Fellows, being exempt from the entrance payment and annual subscriptions. b) Foreign Fellows who are of at
least the same scientific standing as would be required for Fellowship will be Fellow (Foreign) and would have the same privileges as ordinary Fellows and would pay an entrance fee and
annual subscriptions.
2. The number of Fellows (Foreign) shall have no special limit. The proposal of a Nominee for Fellowship (Foreign) may be made by any Fellow of the Society, including Members of Council,
at any time of the year. Nominations shall be sent under confidential cover to the Foreign Secretary.
3. In making a nomination, the proposer should provide as much information as possible about the career and contributions of the Nominee and should also specify the Nominee’s
qualifications of residence outside South Africa and interest in South African Science as in Statute 1 of this Chapter. This information should be obtained confidentially and without the
Nominee’s knowledge of the proposer’s intention.
4. The Society’s Council shall receive comment from the Foreign Secretary on the Nomination, and shall then decide which Nominees, if any, shall be invited to accept election as Fellows
(Foreign). Invitations shall be issued by the Foreign Secretary. Upon the Nominees’ acceptance of Appointment as Fellows (Foreign), their names shall be read at the next Meeting of the
Society in Cape Town.
CHAPTER V
PAYMENTS TO THE SOCIETY TO BE MADE BY MEMBERS, ORDINARY FELLOWS AND FELLOWS (FOREIGN)
1. All Members, Ordinary Fellows and Fellows (Foreign) shall, in their year of Election, pay only the ruling Admission Fee, and in subsequent years shall pay the ruling subscriptions to the
Society, due in advance for each year on the first day of January, except as is provided in Statute 3 of this Chapter.
2. The ruling subscription shall be decided by Council and shall be written into the Standing Orders as provided for in Chapter XV.
3. The ruling subscriptions payable by a Fellow or Member shall be reduced by one half for those Fellows and Members who have reached the age of 65 years in the year preceding the year
for which the subscription is due, or who have retired from income-earning employment and who notify the General Secretary accordingly. Council may decide, upon receiving applications in
case of illness or other distress, to require that a Fellow or Member pay one quarter of the ruling subscription while continuing to receive the normal privileges of the Society. In cases of
special distress Council may cancel any requirement to pay fees until further notice, the name remaining on the Society’s Register. The entrance fee and annual subscriptions for Fellows
(Foreign) from countries with ‘developing’ economies will be adjusted to an appropriate amount, taking into consideration the prevailing foreign currency handling fee. The entrance fee and
annual subscriptions for Fellows (Foreign) from African countries with weak currencies may be reduced at the discretion of the Treasurer.
4. If any Ordinary Fellows, Fellows (Foreign) or Members, after notice sent to them in March and again in August, shall fail to pay the annual subscription before the 31st day of December,
their names shall be reported to Council as being in arrear.
5. If a Fellow or Member is in arrear with the subscriptions for three consecutive years, Fellowship or Membership shall cease by order of Council. A person who has so ceased to be a
Fellow or Member can be reinstated, provided that Council approves, and that all arrears to the date of suspension have been paid. In such cases no entrance fee will be charged.
6. Where in the opinion of Council the individual merits of the case may warrant such action, the Council is empowered to cancel annual payments in arrear, and further, to withhold
suspension from Fellowship or Membership of the Society.
CHAPTER VI
THE DEATH, RESIGNATION OR EJECTION OF FELLOWS,FELLOWS (FOREIGN) AND MEMBERS
1. The death, resignation or ejection of any Fellow, Fellow (Foreign) or Member of the Society shall be recorded in the Register of Fellows and Members and the name shall be announced
from the Chair at the Anniversary meeting.
2. A Fellow or Member who has resigned from the Society may be reinstated, provided that Council approves. In such case, no entrance fee will be charged.
3. If any Fellow, Fellow (Foreign) or Member shall contemptuously or contumaciously disobey the Statutes or Orders of the Society or Council, or do anything to the defamation, damage or
dishonour thereof, that person shall be considered for ejection from the Society. The cause shall be laid before Council and if a majority of the whole Council shall determine to eject the said
Fellow, Fellow (Foreign) or Member, the President shall at some Ordinary meeting announce such determination of Council. Such ejection shall be recorded in the Minutes and the ejected
person’s name shall be read at the next Anniversary meeting.
CHAPTER VII
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT, COUNCIL AND OFFICERS
1. Council shall by November preceding each Anniversary Meeting nominate fifteen members, of whom at least ten must be Fellows, who shall constitute the President and Council for the
ensuing year. Of these at least one shall be nominated by each of the regional branches, and the nominations must reach the Office by November of the year preceding the election of
Council in March. At least eight shall be from the existing Council and at least three shall not have been members of the existing Council. Out of the proposed Council the existing Council shall
nominate the persons whom they recommend for the offices of President, General Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Treasurer and Editor of the Transactions and News Bulletin Editor for the
ensuing year.
2. At the Ordinary Meeting next preceding the Anniversary Meeting, the names of such persons and Officers shall be announced, and the President shall give notice of the date of the
Anniversary Election.
3. Lists, with the names of nominations for Council so recommended, shall be sent to all Fellows and Members by email, in a Ballot Paper, one month before the day of the Election. Each
Fellow and Member shall be entitled to email or post sealed in an envelope to the General Secretary one Ballot Paper, having approved the names of all candidates they wish to be elected.
A posted envelope carrying the Ballot Paper shall be accompanied by a separate Authorization signed by the voting Fellow or Member. This is not necessary in the case of an emailed Ballot
Paper. In the event of more Fellows or Members being nominated for Council than the number of positions vacant, Ballot Papers will include an instruction to delete the names of nominated
Fellows or Members equal to the number of Candidates in excess (of ten for Fellows and five for Members). At the time of the Election, Scrutineers, who are neither Candidates nor
members of the existing Council, shall be nominated by the President to examine the Ballot Papers. The Scrutineers shall report to the President the names of the Candidates who have
obtained the votes of at least three-fourths of the Members and Fellows voting, and the President shall announce from the Chair those names as Members of Council for the ensuing year.
4. Should any Nominee fail to be elected to Council, or in the event of any vacancy by death, ejection or resignation of any Officer or Member of Council (other than the President) the
Council may fill such vacancy at the next Meeting of Council.
CHAPTER VIII
THE PRESIDENT
1. The business of the President shall be to preside at Meetings of the Society and of Council, provided that Council may appoint any Fellow to be Chair of any Committee.
2. The President shall annually appoint two members of Council to be Vice-Presidents, selected so that of the three Officers, President, and Vice-Presidents, at least one but not all shall be
resident in the South-Western Cape Province. In the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents shall act as his Deputy.
3. Upon any vacancy of the President’s Office occurring between the Anniversary Election, the General Secretary shall forthwith intimate the same to all members of Council and, with the
concurrence of the Treasurer, shall name a date for a Meeting of Council for the election of a new President. Nominations shall be submitted to the Secretary by members of Council at least
ten days before the Council Meeting. All such names shall be presented by the General Secretary at the Council Meeting. Election shall take place at the Meeting summoned by the
Secretary. Members of Council shall elect a Chair. Voting may be by proxy or in writing, and the decision shall be that of the majority. The Chair, in the event of equality of voting, shall
have a second or casting vote.
CHAPTER IX
THE TREASURER AND THE ACCOUNTS
1. The Treasurer, or some person appointed with the approval of Council, shall be responsible to the Society for collection and safe keeping of all sums of money due or payable to the
Society; and the Treasurer, or in the absence of the Treasurer, a person appointed by Council, shall disburse sums due or payable by the Society.
2. The Treasurer or a duly nominated representative shall maintain the accounting records, which shall record all payments, receipts and investments.
3. The Treasurer shall submit an annual account summarising the financial affairs of the Society for the past financial year to Council for approval. Thereafter, the approved account shall be
presented at the Annual General Meeting or other suitable occasion.
4. Payments of rents, taxes, salaries and regular annual sums, may be made by the Treasurer without specific order of Council; but every other sum payable on account of the Society
exceeding an amount equal to thirty times the ruling annual subscription for a Member, shall be paid only by order of Council.
5. All sums of money, which shall not be needed for immediate use by the Society, shall be invested in such Government or other securities as shall be approved of and directed by Council.
CHAPTER X
THE GENERAL SECRETARY
1. The General Secretary shall be responsible to Council for the general conduct of the Society’s correspondence and all other related business, excepting that which relates to foreign affairs
of the Society, finance, the editing of the Transactions or the News Bulletin.
2. The General Secretary shall, as far as possible, attend all Meetings of the Society and Council, and shall be responsible for the Minutes and Orders of such Meetings.
3. The General Secretary shall submit a report of the work of the Society during the preceding year, at the Anniversary Meeting of the Society.
CHAPTER XI
THE FOREIGN SECRETARY
1. The Foreign Secretary shall be responsible to Council for the general conduct of the routine affairs of the Society abroad, and shall supervise communications with Fellows (Foreign) and
with Fellows and Members resident outside South Africa.
2. The Foreign Secretary shall receive, recommend and communicate proposals to Council for nominations to Fellowship (Foreign), and shall appoint such persons as Fellows (Foreign) as
Council may decide.
CHAPTER XII
THE EDITOR AND PUBLICATIONS
1 The Editor of the Transactions shall be responsible to Council for the scrutinising, publication or return, and safe keeping of all manuscripts submitted for consideration for publication.
2 The Editor shall be supported by an Editorial Board of Fellows appointed by Council, to cover the different scientific disciplines and advise the Editor on the appointment of at least two
referees per paper and adjudication of their comments. In the final analysis, following due appraisal, the Editor is responsible for acceptance of typescripts for publication.
3 In the case of festschriften and other lengthy typescripts, the Editor shall consult the Treasurer about page charges and inform the author/s before proceeding with evaluating the script.
4 Each Fellow and Member of the Society, whose subscription is not in arrears, and each Fellow (Foreign), shall be entitled to a copy of each such proceedings and Transactions of the
Society as shall be published during their period of membership as well as the News Bulletin.. They shall further be entitled to purchase a limited number of the publications of the Society at
such rates as Council shall from time to time decide.
5. A News Bulletin Editor will be responsible for publishing a Bulletin from time to time.
CHAPTER XIII
THE LIBRARY
1. The Library shall consist of such periodicals, volumes, pamphlets and manuscripts as the Society shall acquire by exchange, purchase or gift. It shall also consist of all publications of the
Society which have not been distributed, sold, exchanged or otherwise disposed of.The contents of the Library shall be adequately housed in such buildings and under such care as Council
shall decide.
2. The contents of the Library and all Society property pertaining thereto shall be adequately insured at a valuation to be decided upon from time to time by the Treasurer and Council.
3. The General Secretary shall be held responsible to Council for the exchanges, connected with the Library and for all correspondence relating thereto.
4. Each Fellow, Honorary Fellow, Fellow (Foreign) or Member of the Society shall be entitled to consult any volume in the Library without extra charge; to remove such books for
consultation and to enjoy such other privileges of the Library as Council shall from time to time decide.
CHAPTER XIV
MEETINGS OF COUNCIL AND COMMITTEES
1. Council, and the Branch and Centre Committees shall have power to appoint an Executive consisting of not less than three Officers.
2. The quorum for Meetings of Council shall be five persons, and for Executive, Branch and Centre Committee Meetings, three persons. It shall be at the Chair’s discretion to permit the
recording of only unanimous resolutions at Meetings of Council at which less than a quorum is present. The Minutes are then to be circulated to all Members of Council before action is
taken.
CHAPTER XV
STANDING ORDERS OF THE SOCIETY
1. Council may from time to time make Standing Orders for the regulation of minor matters of procedure or items liable to frequent change, provided that such Standing Orders be not
contrary to anything contained in the Charter or Statutes of the Society.
2. Standing Orders may be made, amended or repealed at any Meeting of Council, provided that notice of any proposed new Standing Order, amendment or repeal shall be given at the
preceding Meeting of Council. Such notice shall specify the contents of the proposed new Standing Order, amendment or repeal.
CHAPTER XVI
THE MAKING, AMENDING, AND REPEALING OF STATUTES
1. Fellows, Honorary Fellows, Fellows (Foreign) or Members may bring before the Society any motion affecting its Administration and Welfare, at any of the Society’s Meetings, provided
that notice of such Motion has been given to the General, Branch or Centre Secretary and announced at the previous Meeting. Such Motion, if carried by a majority, is to be conveyed as a
recommendation to Council.
2. For the making of any new Statutes of the Society or for the amendment or repeal of any statutes or any part thereof, notice of the proposal shall be given at a Meeting of Council, and
such notice shall specify clearly the proposed new Statute, amendment or repeal and show that it is not contrary to anything contained in the Society’s Charter.
3. Council shall inform the Society of any intention to change the Statutes. |
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