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BY-LAW I
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COUNCIL (YPC)

Revised 15 November 2019

I1         ESTABLISHMENT OF A YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COUNCIL (YPC)

I1.1 The SAIMM Council (‘the Council’) acknowledges the valuable contribution that young professionals can make to the effectiveness of the Institute and considers their meaningful involvement in the operation of the Institute to be a valuable part of their development process. Young professionals are defined as those members of the Institute who are 35 years old and younger.

Establishment of a Young Professionals Council

I1.2      In accordance with clause 3.21 of the Constitution, the Council may frame By-laws, which must be consistent with the provisions of the Constitution for the conduct of the business and the management of the affairs of the Institute. The Council has in terms of this By-law constituted a Young Professionals Council. The objectives of the Young Professionals Council shall be in accordance with Clause 1.5 of the Constitution.

Name

I1.3      The Young Professionals Council shall be termed “Young Professionals Council of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy”, hereinafter referred to as the “Young Professionals Council” and abbreviated as “YPC”.

Governance of the Young Professionals Council

I2         AUTHORITY OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COUNCIL

I2.1      The YPC may make rules governing its meetings and the business and conduct of its affairs, but it shall consult with the Council before doing so. Such rules may include the drawing up of a YPC Constitution for formal ratification by the Council.

Representation on Council

I2.2      The YPC shall be represented on the Council by the Chairperson and/or Vice Chairperson of the YPC who shall be co-opted by the Council.

Authority

I2.3      The YPC shall act on behalf of the Institute according to the mandate received by the Council and specifically by the activities and duties under Clause 3 of this By-Law

Debts

I2.4      Nothing in these Rules shall empower the YPC to contract debts or any legal obligations in the name of the INSITITUTE in any way.

I3         YPC ACTIVITIES AND DUTIES

Activities

I3.1      The activities of the YPC shall be to develop and promote initiatives and industry awareness of young professionals within the defined age group and to provide an alternative perspective to the Council to consider in its decision-making. These activities will encompass but not be limited to the following focus areas:

I3.1.1     Education – representing the interests of primarily pre-graduates in basic and higher education on matters of career guidance, academic development and life skills.
I3.1.2     Career Guidance – representing the interests of primarily post-graduates in mining and metallurgy on matters of training, professional development and life skills.
I3.1.3     Enterprise – Undertake industrious initiatives of some scope, complication and risk to serve the interests of young professionals.

Duties of the YPC

I3.2      The duties of the YPC shall be related to the issues and challenges facing young professionals as detailed in Clause I3.1.

I3.3      No member of the YPC shall have the authority to speak on behalf of the SAIMM or make press statements to media without the approval of at least two Office Bearers acting on behalf of the Council.

I4         YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COUNCIL

Constitution of the YPC

I4.1      The affairs of the YPC shall, subject to the control of the Council, be managed by the YPC members constituted as follows:

I4.4.1        Chairperson
I4.4.2        Vice-Chairperson
I4.4.3        Secretary
I4.4.4        Treasurer
I4.4.5        Immediate Past Chairperson (if eligible)
I4.4.6        A minimum of thirteen (13) and a maximum of eighteen (18) members 35 years of age and younger
I4.4.7        The Council shall have two representatives of the YPC to ensure continuity and that the interests of the Institute are maintained.

I4.2      Any member of the SAIMM, who is 35 years old and younger is eligible to serve on the YPC. The maximum age that a YPC member may reach before being required to step down from the YPC will be 35 years.

I4.3      Members of the YPC shall be elected as provided for in this By-law and shall hold office until their successors have been elected. The manner of nomination and election of members of the Young Professionals Council shall be as set out in this By-law. Members of the YPC shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

I4.4      The YPC may, to ensure adequate representation based on the identified needs, such as diversity, and the balance of the practice areas of mining and metallurgy, nominate, elect and co-opt by unanimous vote no more than four (4) additional members to the YPC. Such additional members shall have the privileges and responsibilities of elected YPC members and shall serve for that current session. The names of such co-opted members shall be announced at the next General Meeting of the Institute following their appointment.

I5         ELECTIONS

I5.1      Only candidates who are 34 years and younger at the time of the election, shall be considered for election to the YPC.

Notices

I5.2      A notice calling for nominations for members of the YPC shall be distributed to all members who are 35 years old and younger not later than the first day of April in each year and all such nominations shall be lodged with the Manager not less than one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Nominations

I5.2.1        Each nomination of a member for election to the YPC, must be proposed and seconded by at least two (2) Corporate or non-corporate members on the prescribed official nomination form.

I5.2.2        On receipt of the nominations the Manager of the SAIMM shall notify each nominee and request his/her acceptance or otherwise of such nomination within ten (10) calendar days. Failure to accept such nomination will make it null and void.

Ballot list

I5.3      At least ninety (90) calendar days prior to the Annual General Meeting, the Council shall cause to be forwarded to all members who are not older than 35 years the relevant ballot list showing the names of candidates. In addition, a short CV per candidate will be included.

Voting

I5.3.1        The prescribed electronic voting process of voting for nominees to sit on the YPC shall take place over a period of four (4) weeks but not later than sixty (60) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

I5.3.2       In the event of the number of votes being found to be equal for any two or more candidates, all of whom cannot be declared elected; the current YPC shall determine the procedure to be followed to finalise a tied ballot.

Nominations by the Council

I5.4      Should the nomination list for members to be elected to the YPC not include the names of as many members as are required to fill the vacancies on the YPC, the SAIMM Council shall, after scrutiny of the ballot, nominate members to complete the list and the members nominated shall be declared elected at the Annual General Meeting.

I6         OFFICE BEARERS

I6.1      The YPC shall elect its Office Bearers, hereinafter referred to as “YPC Office Bearers”.

I6.2      YPC Office Bearers shall consist of –

  • Chairperson
  • Vice- Chairperson
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Immediate Past Chairperson -

I6.3      There shall be an automatic annual progression from Treasurer to Secretary, Vice-Chairperson, Chairperson and Immediate Past Chairperson.

Elections of Office Bearers

I6.4      The Office Bearers referred to in Clause I6.2 shall be confirmed each year by the YPC during the July meeting to ascertain that all Office Bearers are still willing, available and able to fulfil the positions to which they have been elected.

I6.5      The YPC Office Bearers shall be ratified by the retiring SAIMM Council at the July meeting of the Council.

I6.6      No member of the YPC may hold two offices simultaneously or be elected to the same position for two years in succession

I6.7      A notice calling for nominations for vacant ’positions shall be distributed to all eligible members of the YPC and all such nominations shall be lodged with the Manager at least two weeks prior to the first meeting of the new YPC term.

I6.7.1        On receipt of the nominations the Manager of the SAIMM shall notify each nominee and request his/her acceptance or otherwise of such nomination. Failure to accept such nomination will make it null and void.

I6.7.2        In the event of only one nomination, that candidate shall be regarded as having been duly elected.

I6.7.3        If there are two or more candidates nominated, the candidate who receives the most votes will be duly elected.

I6.7.4        In the event of the number of votes being found to be equal for any two or more candidates, - the Immediate Past Chairperson of the YPC shall have the casting vote.

I6.8      An Immediate Past Chairperson may not be re-elected to Office Bearers in any position.

I6.9      YPC shall have the right to co-opt one additional member to Office Bearers if good reason to do so exists.

I6.10      YPC may delegate some of its power to YPC Office Bearers if it is deemed by the YPC to be in the interest of the Institute. Any such delegation of power shall only be valid for the current session of the YPC or any such shorter period as deemed appropriate by the YPC.

I6.11      The YPC Office Bearers shall be accountable to the YPC and shall -

I6.11.1      manage the affairs of the YPC in terms of the mandate given by the YPC;

I6.11.2      implement the motions and resolutions of the YPC;

I6.11.3      advise the YPC on matters related to the functioning of the Institute and the attainment of its goals.

 

I7         MEETINGS OF THE YPC

Meetings

I7.1      The YPC shall meet as often as deemed necessary for the proper execution of its duties, but not fewer than six times per year. In the period between meetings, urgent decisions may be taken electronically via an email vote. The urgency of matters shall be decided by the Chairperson, in consultation with the Manager of the SAIMM.

I7.1.1        The Chairperson of the YPC or, in his/her absence, the Vice Chairperson, or, in the absence of both parties, a member of the YPC shall take the Chair at meetings of the YPC.

I7.2     At meetings of the YPC, a majority of eight YPC members present at the meeting shall form a quorum. All matters shall be decided by vote of a simple majority of members present at the YPC meetings.

I7.2.1        The Chairperson of the YPC shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of a tied ballot, a casting vote.

I.7.3     Meetings of the YPC shall be held on dates decided by the YPC. Notices convening meetings shall be dispatched to members not less than seven (7) days prior to the dates of such meetings.

Minutes

I7.4      Minutes of all meetings of the YPC shall be kept and, after scrutiny by the Chairperson, one copy thereof shall be forwarded within thirty (30) days to the Manager of the Institute. These minutes shall include an attendance register.

Report to Council

I7.4.1        The Council shall be kept informed concerning the activities of the YPC and copies of all notices of meetings forwarded to the Manager of the Institute.

I7.4.2        An abridged Chairperson’s Annual Report to the Council is to be forwarded to the Council by mid-July in each year.

Forfeiture of YPC Membership

I7.5     Should any member of the YPC be absent without prior approved leave from the YPC Office Bearers for more than two (2) consecutive meetings, he/she may, at the discretion of the YPC, be requested to forfeit his/her seat on the YPC.

I8         FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE YPC

Dissolution

I8.1      The Council may allocate funds and/or assistance as it may, from time to time, find necessary to provide for the satisfactory functioning of the YPC.

I8.2      An estimate of the expected expenses and anticipated accruals of the YPC for the ensuing year shall be made by the Treasurer of the YPC and the Manager of the Institute at the April meeting of each year. This estimate, together with the required funding for the year, shall be submitted to the Council for approval.

I9 DISSOLUTION OF THE YPC

I9.1      The Council shall retain the power to dissolve the YPC and a copy of the resolution of the Council deciding upon such dissolution shall be sent to the Chairperson of the YPC.

I9.2      All assets, books, records and funds of the Institute in the custody of the YPC shall remain the property of the Institute and, in the event of the dissolution of such YPC.

I10 REVIEW OF BY-LAW

Amendments to By-Law

I10.1    Amendments or variations to these By-Laws may be made by the Council on its own initiative or on recommendation of a properly constituted meeting of the YPC following a majority decision of a meeting where a quorum is present provided that notice of the proposed change(s) is given fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting.

I10.2    Proposed amendments or variations must be submitted to the Council for approval prior to implementation.