Judo South Africa

To utilise the revenue and property of the Association from whatever source it may be derived, to further the objectives of the Association and for such other purposes as the Association may from time to time deem necessary or desirable;

To establish such boards, committees, panels or bodies as may be deemed necessary to standardise, or improve Judo, or to further the aims and objectives of the Association;

To purchase, improve, take on lease or in exchange, hire, or otherwise acquire any movable or immovable property or rights or privileges whatsoever which may be deemed necessary, suitable or convenient for the implementation of the aims of the Association, and to sell, let or hire out, or otherwise dispose of the whole or any part of the assets of the Association for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Association may from time to time deem fit;

To open, close, or operate one or more banking and/or savings accounts and to invest moneys on such terms and conditions as may be deemed expedient with one reputable and registered bank;

To raise funds or borrow money from time to time in order to further the aims of the Association, to send teams to competitions or tournaments, and/or to acquire or develop its assets on such security or otherwise, or to hypothecate its assets as security and on such terms, as may from time to time be deemed necessary;

To engage or dispense with the services of such persons, companies or concerns, and upon such terms and conditions, as may be deemed expedient; and

Note:   The Association shall not carry on any business that has an objective to the acquisition of gain by the Association or by its members. The Association is not formed for financial profit.

All persons resident in the Republic of South Africa, irrespective of race, gender, religion, colour or creed, who annually affiliate with the Association.

Any person applying for membership of the Association must comply with the rules and regulations in the Policy Document on Registrations.

Members of the Association shall fall under the control of the Provincial Controlling Body governing the Province, and the Club to which such members are registered and affiliated.

The Association shall be entitled to suspend or terminate the membership of any member, Club or Province as per the Disciplinary Policy Document.

Of the event of any membership being terminated or suspended in terms of 5.1 such members, Clubs or Provinces shall not be entitled to a refund of any money paid over to the Association or the Provincial Controlling Body.

Each Provincial Controlling Body shall submit to the Association a copy of its Constitution for approval, and a list of its Committee members and affiliated Clubs, and shall inform the General Secretary of the Association of any change to its Committee members and any proposed amendments to its Constitution. The JSA Council must approve any such amendment to its Constitution. In the event of the Constitution of any Provincial Body being in conflict with the Constitution of the Association, the Constitution of the Association shall take precedence.

The Association may at any time request from any Provincial Controlling Body a duly audited income and expenditure account and balance sheet, and shall be entitled to inspect and make copies of any books and/or documents of or pertaining to such Body.

No person may become a member of a registered Club, or enjoy any of the privileges thereof, such as participating in any grading, tournament or contest arranged or held by any registered Club, Provincial Controlling Body or Association unless such person is a registered member.

To pass any resolution or adopt any regulation for the better performance of its functions provided that any such resolution or regulation shall not be in direct conflict with this Constitution;

To co-opt in order to assist it in regard to any matter, any person, whether or not such person is a member of the Association. Any such person shall be entitled to participate in any such meetings and to have any such rights of a Council member, as the Council may prescribe, save that he/she shall not be entitled to vote at Meetings of the Council; and to appoint such sub-committees as it sees fit.

The Executive shall be elected or re-elected bi-annually at a General Meeting of the Association from nominations submitted by the Provincial Controlling Bodies, which nominations shall be in writing and shall be circulated with the notice of the AGM by the General Secretary. Any party thus nominated shall either be present at the annual General Meeting or furnish his/her written consent, which must reach the General Secretary of the Association at or before the said Annual General Meeting.

In the event of any of the members of the Executive vacating their office during any year, the remaining Executive members shall appoint a substitute until the next Council meeting. Notice must be circulated to the provinces so that at the Councilmeeting, a substitute can be formally ratified by the Council to occupy that office until the next Annual General Meeting.

To deal with any urgent matter requiring attention. Any such action by the Executive shall be accounted for to the Council for its approval at the next Council meeting;

To institute, defend, bring, carry on, compromise, discontinue, or refer to arbitration any proceedings, actions or claims in the name of the Association, or in relation to any matter affecting the interests of the Association;

To open and to operate such banking and savings accounts or any other accounts with such bank, as may be determined, and to draw, make, sign, accept, endorse, discount and issue bills of exchange, promissory notes, cheques and other negotiable or transferable instruments;

The technical board will have at least 2 meetings annually, where all technical matters will be addressed, motivated and circulated to council for final approval.

The National Technical Board Memberswill be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association following the same procedure as for the election of the Executive.

The Portfolio Managers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting following the same procedure as for the election of the Executive.

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be convened by the General Secretary who shall give no less than thirty (30) days notice prior to the Meeting to all persons entitled thereto. Documentation that is required to be distributed with the notice are, Agenda, Minutes of the Previous Meeting, and any special meetings, President’s Report, Audited Financial Reports and Financial Statements, Proposed Amendments to the Constitution, Nominations, Points of Discussion, etc.

The General Secretary, who shall give not less than fourteen (14) days notice prior to the quarterly council, or other meeting, to all members of the Council, and shall convene meetings of the Council.

The President, subject to the provisions of Clause 12.5, may call an extraordinary Meeting of the Association or the Council at any time.

The President shall convene an extraordinary Meeting of the Council within ten (10) days of receipt of a written petition, signed by not fewer than twenty percent (20%) of the Members of the Council, calling upon him to do so and stating the nature of the business to be discussed.

The Council may, whenever it deems fit, call a Special General Meeting. The General Secretary who shall set forth fully the objects of the Meeting, and shall give not less than thirty (30) days notice prior to the Meeting to all persons entitled thereto shall convene the Meeting. Representation and voting powers at such a Meeting shall be the same as at an Annual General Meeting.

All decisions made at any Meeting, except where otherwise provided, shall be made by show of hands, unless at least three of those present and entitled to vote demand that a secret ballot be taken, in which case the vote shall be taken by way of secret ballot. When voting concerns a person it will always be by secret ballot.

The vote of the majority shall be decisive. In the case of an equality of votes at a Meeting, the President shall have a casting vote. Should the President not wish to use his casting vote provision must be made to allow him some discretion. A toss of a coin will then determine the vote. 

Any person who is entitled to vote, but is unable to attend a Meeting personally may authorise another person in writing, to attend such Meeting and vote on his behalf. Such person shall be entitled to vote solely on such decisions and in such manner as is clearly set out in writing by the person on whose behalf he has been authorised to attend and vote in addition to his ordinary vote. Only points on the agenda can be voted on. Other points can be discussed but not voted on as the delegates have a mandate and represent a province etc.

The General Secretary shall keep minutes, which shall constitute a proper record of all proceedings and discussions of such Meetings, and such minutes shall be available at every subsequent Meeting. In the absence of General Secretary, the Council shall elect a scribe to keep minutes of the Meeting.

Two delegates shall represent members from each Provincial Controlling Body, duly authorised thereby in writing, which authority shall be lodged with the General Secretary before the beginning of such Meeting.

The said delegates shall constitute the total voting power of such Annual General Meeting, excepting only that, where there is an equality of votes, the President shall have the casting vote.

An annual general meeting must be held every year within 3 months after closure of the financial year to ratify all financial matters for the previous financial year that ended on the 31^st March. A general meeting may follow this meeting.

Election of new office bearers if applicable, provided that the Meeting is held within twenty six (26) months of the previous Annual General Meeting

In the event of a quorum not being present at any Meeting, such Meeting shall stand adjourned to a week later at the same time and place, and such persons as are then in attendance and are entitled to vote shall be deemed to form a quorum.

Annually submit to the Association an Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet duly audited by the appointed registered auditor; at the annual general meeting to be held within 3 months after the financial year ended.

Report to the Council in regard to the finances of the Association at the Council meetings. Should he not be able to attend then he will submit the report as per stipulations of any meeting;

All cheques or withdrawals from the Association’s bank or building society account(s) shall require the joint signatures of either the Treasurer or the President and either the Vice-President, General Secretary or the Technical Director.

The Treasurer or nominee will do all electronic transfers after approval by the President, Vice-President, Technical Director or Registrar via email.

The Association may pay for work that a member or office bearer has done for the Association. The payment must be a reasonable amount for the work that has been done as agreed by Council from time to time.

A member of the Association will be reimbursed by the Association for expenses that he/she has borne after approval on behalf of the Association.

The Association may sue or be sued in its own name In any court of competent jurisdiction and shall be represented by the President or duly nominated and approved person or legal advisor upon whom all processes shall be served, and who is duly authorised to sign all documents on behalf of the Association.

Officials and members of the Executive and Council of the Association shall be indemnified by the Association against all liability incurred by them in the course of their duties, save such as they may incur through their own neglect or default.

The use of the name of the Association by any member or person whatsoever in any manner, which may involve the Association in any possible unpleasant or contentious matter, is strictly prohibited.

Should any doubt arise or exist as to the interpretation of any portion of this Constitution, or the Rules and Regulations or the Contest Rules of the Association, the interpretation placed thereon by the Council shall be final and binding.

The Constitution may be amended, altered or added to at any Annual General Meeting, or at any Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.

Any such alterations or additions shall not be deemed to be passed unless approved by at least two-thirds (66.6%) of the delegates present and duly entitled and authorised to vote.

Any proposed amendment, alteration or addition to this Constitution must be fully set out in the notice calling for the Meeting.

Policy documents, Rules and regulations, can be updated/amended at any Council meeting provided the proposed changes are circulated at least two weeks before the said meeting. These will be ratified at the AGM.

It shall be regarded as unethical conduct by any member or members, and shall be subject to such disciplinary action as the Disciplinary Committee deems fit, if such member or members should: -

Compete in judo in public without the permission of the Council, except at a display, tournament or meeting recognised by the Association or promoted by a Provincial Controlling Body or a registered Club;

Appear(s) to officiate or compete or attempt to do so, in any display, tournament or meeting of the Association or of a Provincial Controlling Body or of a registered Club while under the influence of alcohol;

Falsely obtain or attempt to obtain, and without true claim of right, grades or recognition by the Association for any achievement or deed by such member or members;

All members of JSA shall, by their affiliation to JSA,consent to abide by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as well as the Anti-Doping Policies of the IJF, the IOC and NOCSA, as well as respecting the provisions of the Anti-Doping Code and that of the Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code, which are the official documents pertaining to the Olympic Movement. Sanctions will be imposed on the guilty party/parties according to the Doping Policy of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and/or of the IOC and/or of NOCSA – depending on the relevance of the case. Any person/persons found guilty of a Doping Offence will automatically be excluded from the South African Team as a participant in the Olympic Games following the offence.

Should the Association, for any reason whatsoever, be dissolved or cease to exist, all the assets of the Association shall immediately vest in the South African Sports Commission, (SASC) or its successor, in trust, to be handed over in due course, subject to such condition as may be laid down by, and at the sole discretion of, the said Association before its dissolution, to a National Controlling Body for Judo for the purpose of furthering the practice of Judo.

Should a period of five (5) years elapse from the date of dissolution of the Association without a National Judo Controlling Body having been awarded the assets or value thereof, such assets as remain will vest in the SASC or its successors, to be utilised for the development of sport in general.