CONSTITUTION

The FIRE DETECTION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (FDIA) (Registered as a Non-Profit Organisation) shall be run and organised by a committee of participants from the fire detection and gaseous extinguishing industries.

Membership shall be open to any company who gains its income from, or has an interest in, the supply, design, installation or servicing of fire detection systems, gaseous extinguishing systems and related services and meet with the criteria laid down by the Association.

1.0.1. Committee members will be an individual from a member company that pays full membership fees and are paid up to date.
1.0.2. Committee members will be selected from volunteers or nominations.
1.0.3 The committee shall consist of no less than four persons and be limited at the discretion of the Chairperson.
1.0.4 The committee will consist of at least one person from an installation member, one person from a Detection Supplier member and a Suppression Supplier member.
1.0.5 More than one individual per company may serve on the committee, however, each member company will have only 1 vote.
1.0.6 Committee members serve on the committee without remuneration or reward.
1.0.7 If a committee member is requested to carry out FDIA related work over and above the normal committee requirements and costs are incurred, these costs will need to first be cleared by the Exec comm and then will be reimbursed.
1.0.8 All committee members shall serve for 1 year.
1.0.9 A new Committee shall be elected at every AGM.

The executive committee shall meet and make decisions on extraordinary matters arising in between committee meetings. All decisions made by the executive committee shall be reported at the next general committee meeting.

Will be an individual selected from the Committee.

Exec Committee members serve on the committee without remuneration or reward.

Exec Committee members will serve for a minimum of 3 consecutive periods.

If an Exec Committee member is requested to carry out FDIA related work over and above the normal committee requirements and costs are incurred, these costs will need to first be cleared by the Treasurer and then will be reimbursed.

All Exec Committee members will attend any executive committee meeting that is called.

The executive committee shall comprise of a minimum of 4 of the following positions: –
1.1.1 Chairperson
1.1.2 Vice Chairman
1.1.3 Treasurer
1.1.4 Marketing Officer
1.1.5 Liaison Officer

1.2.1 Shall manage the executive, ensuring that the duties as set out by the constitution are carried out.
1.2.2 To prepare, along with the executive, a budget for the running of the Association on a year-by-year basis.
1.2.3 To ensure that regular meetings are carried out in an orderly manner.

One person shall be elected from the Committee as Vice Chairman who will assume the responsibility of the Chairperson in his/her absence.

1.4.1 Shall institute control measures for collecting membership fees.
1.4.2 Present financial statements at all committee meetings.
1.4.3 Shall be responsible for the banking of funds.
1.4.5 Ensure that EFT payments are actioned as per the following protocol:
1.4.5.1 Payments to be loaded by one signatory
1.4.5.2 Release of the payments is to be done by a second signatory
1.4.6 Shall present a balance sheet at the AGM of the previous financial year.

Shall control the various platforms where the FDIA is showing a presence, e.g. LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.

Shall represent the FDIA at meetings they are requested to attend.

2.1 Member is an individual person associated with the industry.
2.2 Does not need to be on the committee but can be “seconded” to a subcommittee due to their expert knowledge.
Has no voting rights at committee.
When attending meetings does so without remuneration or reward.
The Seconded Committee member will need to sign a NDA

The purpose of the administrator is to coordinate and correlate the functions of the FDIA. It is not to make decisions or take actions without the express authority of the Chairperson, their deputy or that of the Treasurer as they alone retain legislative accountable and that there’s no provision in law that would permit these office bearers from eluding such burden.
3.1 Control and retain copies of all in and out going correspondence such that they can be easily accessed as and when required.
3.2 Retain agreements, supplier appointments, statutory correspondence and submission SARS, financial records and any other document associated with the FDIA’s financial and operational obligations.
3.3 Submit timeous payments to SARS for authorisation based on returns associated with PAYE, UIF and any other
3.4 Administer the email facility and website as established by Marketing.
3.5 Register new members once they are approved by the committee and add to website and any other marketing instrument sanctioned by the Executive Committee.
3.6 Establish a set of accounts and report every month on preceding month’s Income / Expenditure / Collections / Performance against Previous Year and Budgets to-date.
3.7 Invoice members annually in accordance with set rates of membership as published and show discounts where applicable.
3.8 the bank accounts with transactions.
3.9 Retain in the Current Account sufficient funds to accommodate budgeted obligations for the month in question + approximately 50% as a buffer for unexpected events.
3.10 Transfer funds between the Current Account and the Interest Yielding account in keeping with item 8 and ensure that authorisation from an executive occurs timeously.
3.11 Upload payments for authorisation by an executive and follow up that the executive have timeously authorised same.
3.12 Minutes and hold records in a formal structure such that they’re quickly and easily accessible as and when required in both hard and digital formats.
3.13 Distribute minutes of the meeting to all committee members.
3.14 Create and issue such documents as requested by the chairperson, their deputy, and the treasurer.
3.15 Ensure that the Chairperson, their deputy, and the Treasurer are kept abreast of all events that may have material bearing on the operations of the association.
3.16 Provide expeditiously to the appointed auditor such records as requested by same.
3.17 Secure budgets at least two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting failing which make known delays to the Treasurer.
3.18 Publish notices of the AGM and any extraordinary meetings.
3.19 Arrange the Annual General Meeting in accordance with the wishes of the Chairperson or their deputy.
3.20 Maintain confidentiality on all matters associated with the association whether directly or otherwise obtained.
3.21 Perform such additional duties as authorised by the Chairperson or their deputy.

4.1 The AGM shall be held in the first quarter of each year.
4.2 Not less than 30 Days’ notice is required – to be emailed to all members.
4.3 Requests for items to be included into the agenda must be submitted not less than 15 days prior to the AGM.
4.4 Nominations for a new committee must be handed in not less than 15 days prior to the AGM.
4.5 Requested changes to the Constitution shall be received not less than 15 days prior to the AGM and shall be tabled at the AGM requiring a majority vote before implementation.
4.6 The chairperson is responsible for controlling the counting of votes.
4.7 Minutes are to be kept by the secretary.

5.0.1 These shall be held a minimum of six times a year and more when necessary.
5.0.2 All committee members shall attend all meetings.
5.0.3 Emergency meetings may be called by any committee member at any time if approved by the Chairperson.
5.0.4 The executive committee may deem it necessary to meet in between committee meetings. If so, minutes of these meetings must be distributed to all other committee members.
5.0.5 Committee meetings may only be attended by committee members or their invited guests

5.1.1 Committee members shall attend ALL meetings.
5.1.2 Should a committee member fail to attend two meetings the administrator will send him/her a written warning.
5.1.3 Should a third meeting be missed the committee member shall be removed from the committee.
5.1.4 The administrator shall inform him/her of their dismissal in writing.

5.2.1 Any decisions required will be passed by a majority vote. 50% plus 1
5.2.2 If a majority is not reached the chairperson will have the casting vote.

Changes to the constitution can be made as follows:
6.0.1 Recommended by any member and approved by a majority vote at the AGM.
6.0.2 Recommended by any committee member and approved by a majority vote at any committee meeting throughout the year.