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Registration Number 2019/ 345001/08

 

Name of the Society

The Society shall be called the Cardio-Oncology Society of Southern Africa.

Objective of the Society

Its objective is to create and heighten the awareness around Cardio-Oncology in Southern Africa. It delivers on this objective by

  • Creating awareness through training and education programmes aimed at Healthcare Professionals caring for patients with cancer to make sure that such patients not only receive optimal care for their cancer but are timeously diagnosed and treated for cardiovascular complications arising either from cancer therapy or comorbidities that exist concurrently with the patient’s cancer
  • Advising governmental and non-governmental organisations on cardio-oncology matters and policies
  • Liaising with other organisations in the field on a global level
  • Advancing the interests of its members

Membership

  • Members shall be practising Cardiologists, Oncologists, Haematologists and any Medical Specialists, as well as non-specialist medical practitioners actively involved in cancer care management from diagnosis to surveillance.
  • Associate membership shall be reserved for professionals other than medical practitioners and specialists, who are engaged in cancer care management from diagnosis to surveillance. Associate members may attend meetings, but shall not hold any office or voting rights.
  • Honorary Life Membership may be granted at the discretion of the COSOSA Council to members who have retired from practice. They would no longer be liable for annual subscriptions and the COSOSA Council may award a reduced cost to these individuals to attend Congresses.
  • Honorary membership will be bestowed on the keynote speaker of each annual scientific meeting.

Officers

  • The Officers of the Society shall be a President, a vice-president, a Secretary, a Treasurer and one member, who together shall constitute the Executive Committee. They shall be elected by and from the members of the Society.
  • The elected members of the Executive Committee have the right to co-opt 5 further members to the Executive Committee by majority decision. This body shall be known as the COSOSA Council. The COSOSA Council shall be representative of the majority of professionals involved in cardio-oncology care.
  • The President must be a medical specialist registered with HPCSA with sound knowledge of cardio-oncology, as determined by the Executive Committee. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Executive Committee.
  • The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and other member of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a two-year period, and may be re-elected after a nomination has been received in writing by the secretary of the society 2 weeks before the annual meeting of the society.
  • The COSOSA Council shall conduct the affairs of the Society and consider the applications for membership. It meets at least twice a year and before the annual meeting of the society. A quorum of at least sixty percent of Council members needs to be present for the Council meeting to be considered legitimate.

Meetings

  • The Society shall meet at least twice a year to discuss matters pertaining to the objective of the Society.
  • The scientific business shall consist principally of presentations by eminent speakers.
  • The Society shall meet in centres agreed to by the Council.
  • An annual general meeting of the members shall be held to consider matters raised by the Council, or by members, to elect the Committee and Council and to receive the report of the Secretary and Treasurer. A quorum of at least one-quarter of paid-up members needs to be present for the meeting to be considered legitimate.
  • Members can exercise their rights to vote by proxy which must be submitted prior to the meeting to the secretary of the society.

Finance

  • The annual subscription shall be fixed at the annual general meeting. Associate members shall be required to pay a reduced subscription.
  • Any member who does not pay his subscription within the subscription period, which shall be the first three months of the fiscal year, in spite of due notice, shall cease to be a member.

Election of Members

  • Interested parties can apply directly to the Society Secretary for membership.
  • Successful applicants will be notified within 1 calendar month of the receipt of their application.

Amendments of the Constitution and Rules of the Society

  • A proposal to change the Constitution or Rules of the Society must be submitted in writing by 5 members of the Society to the Secretary at least two months before the Annual General Meeting.
  • The Secretary shall notify each member of the Society in writing about this proposal at least one month before the Annual General Meeting, when the proposal will be considered.
  • No change in the Constitution or Rules of the Society shall be made unless at least one quarter of the members of the Society are present, and two thirds of members present support the change.