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Co-Operative Societies - Registration (Ss 8-17)

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[Ch4204s8]8.       Societies which may be registered

            A society which has as its principal object the promotion of the economic interests of its members in accordance with co-operative principles, or a society established with the object of facilitating the operations of such a society, and complying with the provisions of this Act, may be registered under it, with or without limited liability.

[Ch4204s9]9.       Statement of co-operative principles

            For the purpose of this Act "co-operative principles" shall inter alia mean that-

     (a)     membership is voluntary and open to all, men and women, able to use the services of the society;

     (b)     the services of the society are mainly provided for its members;

     (c)     the society is democratically controlled;

     (d)     the surplus of the society is distributed in a fair and just manner amongst its members with a limited dividend on share capital;

     (e)     the society promotes education and training on co-operative matters for its members;

     (f)      societies co-operate at local, national and international levels.

[Ch4204s10]10.     Application for registration

            (1) An application to register a society shall be submitted to the Commissioner on the prescribed form which shall be signed-

     (a)  (i)       in the case of a primary society that is a producers co-operative society, by at least 15 persons qualified for membership in terms of section 29; or

          (ii)       in the case of a primary society that has as its object the promotion of thrift and the acceptance of savings from and the making of loans to its members for productive and provident purposes, by at least 50 persons qualified for membership in terms of section 29; or

          (iii)       in the case of any other primary society, by at least 20 persons qualified for membership in terms of section 29;

     (b)     in the case of a secondary society by two authorized officers of at least two societies.

            (2) The application shall be accompanied by-

     (a)     3 copies of the bye-laws in English;

     (b)     a report on the viability of the proposed society which shall be in the prescribed form or as near thereto as circumstances permit;

     (c)     in the case of an application relating to a secondary society, copies of the resolutions authorizing the participation of the primary societies;

     (d)     the prescribed fee.

[Ch4204s11]11.     Name of society

            (1) No society shall be registered by a name which is identical with that of a registered society, or so closely resembles such a name as to mislead members of the public as to its identity or which is, in the opinion of the Commissioner, undesirable.

            (2) The word "co-operative" shall form part of the name of every society and the word "limited" shall be the last word in the name of every society registered with limited liability.

[Ch4204s12]12.     Compulsory bye-laws

            The bye-laws of a society shall, inter alia, include provision for the matters detailed in Schedule 1 and shall be adequate for the efficient running of the society.

[Ch4204s13]13.     Requirements before registration

            Before registering a proposed society the Commissioner shall be satisfied that-

     (a)     the society is a bona fide co-operative society;

     (b)     the name and bye-laws of the society comply with sections 11 and 12;

     (c)     there is a reasonable expectation of benefit to the members of the society;

     (d)     the application complies with the provisions of this Act.

[Ch4204s14]14.     Power to request additional information

            The Commissioner may request any additional information that he considers necessary about the proposed society, including-

     (a)     the economic or other need for the establishment of the society;

     (b)     the number of persons expected to become members when the society begins its activities;

     (c)     the availability of sufficient capital to be subscribed by the applicants and other persons expected to become members;

     (d)     the availability of officers capable of managing the affairs of the society and keeping the records and accounts required for its efficient operation and for complying with this Act;

     (e)     the educational and advisory work on co-operative principles and the operation of the society carried out amongst the applicants and the other persons expected to become members.

[Ch4204s15]15.     Registration

            (1) If the Commissioner approves the registration of the society he shall issue a certificate of registration to the society together with a copy of the bye-laws certified by him as having been approved and registered.

            (2) A certificate of registration signed by the Commissioner shall be conclusive evidence that the society mentioned in it is duly registered, unless it is proved that the registration of the society has been cancelled.

            (3) On registration the Commissioner shall supply, free of charge, a copy of this Act and any regulations made hereunder.

[Ch4204s16]16.     Refusal of registration

            (1) If the Commissioner refuses to register a society he shall give his reasons for his refusal in writing to the applicants.

            (2) An appeal shall lie to the Minister within one month from the date of refusal.

            (3) The Minister's decision on the appeal shall be final.

[Ch4204s17]17.     Provisional registration

            (1) If the Commissioner is not satisfied that a proposed society ought to be registered at the time of the application for registration but is of the opinion that steps can and will be taken with diligence, by the persons by whom or on whose behalf the application is made, to comply with all the conditions for registration, he may provisionally register the society for such period not exceeding two years and subject to such conditions as he may specify:

            Provided that it shall be competent for the applicants for registration of a proposed society to apply for provisional registration only.

            (2) A society which has been provisionally registered shall, subject to the conditions of this section and any conditions specified by the Commissioner, have all the status and powers of a society registered under this Act and be entitled to operate as a society.

            (3) The fact that a society is provisionally registered shall be legibly stated on all documents issued by the society and on every other place where the society's name is displayed to the public.

            (4) The Commissioner may cancel the provisional registration of a society, without assigning any reason, by a notice in writing addressed to the society; the notice of cancellation shall operate as a refusal to register the society in terms of section 16 and from the date of service of the notice the society shall cease to be registered as a society.

            (5) If upon the expiry of the period for provisional registration the society has not been registered, the society shall cease to be registered as a society.

            (6) Where either subsection (4) or subsection (5) apply-

     (a)     the provisions of Part XI shall operate for the settlement of the society's affairs;

     (b)     the Commissioner shall by notice require surrender of the certificate of provisional registration to him for cancellation;

     (c)     the validity of any transaction by or with the society entered into prior to the cancellation or cessation of its registration shall not be affected by such cancellation or cessation.

            (7)(a) If at any time during the period of provisional registration the Commissioner is satisfied that the society complies with the conditions for registration and ought to be registered he may register the society under section 15 and the society shall thereupon be deemed to have been registered on the date of its provisional registration.

            (b) The society shall on registration surrender the certificate of provisional registration to the Commissioner who shall then issue a certificate of registration bearing the date of registration in terms of paragraph (a).