An association is a coming together of 2 or more people who have similar or aligned interests, in order to work together for their mutual benefit. An association can be a club (organization), which is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal; a Trade association, which is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry; or a Voluntary association, which is a body formed by individuals to accomplish a purpose or a specific goal.
Where 2 or more people are gathered, there has to be a clear definition of what is or is not acceptable behavior. Also, there has to be a person, or set of persons who will speak, enforce decisions, as well as perform other administrative duties. For these reasons and more, there has to be a document that will guide the activities of the association. That document is called a constitution.
In this article, we want to highlight the various associations in South Africa. Without any further ado, we present below an abridged list of associations in South Africa.
List Of Associations In South Africa
- Engineering Council of South Africa
- Type: Statutory Body
- ECSA was established by law in Act 2000 (Act No. 46 of 2000) but has a history dating back to 1969.
- South African Academy of Engineering (S.A.A.E.)
- Type: a Non-Profit Organization
- Members: 151 fellows (as at June 2009)
- South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE)
- Type: Voluntary Association
- Members: 6000 Voluntary Members
- Association Website: www.saiee.org.za
- This association is made up of 4 smaller units: Power, Electronics and Software, Historical, Rotating Machines.
- Electrical Contractors Association of South Africa (ECA-SA)
- Association Website: www.ecasa.co.za
- Institution of Municipal Engineering in South Africa
- Association Website: www.imesa.org.za
- Printing Industries Federation of South Africa
- Association Website: www.pifsa.org
- Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA)
- Association Website: www.publishsa.co.za
- The Association of South African Women in Science & Engineering
- Association Type: Voluntary Association
- Association Website: www.sawise.org.za
- South African Association of Consulting Engineers
- Association Website: www.saace.co.za
- South African Translators’ Institute (SATI)
- Association Website: www.translators.org.za
- Computer Society of South Africa (CSSA)
- Association Website: www.cssa.org.za
- The South African Guild of Interior Designers
- Group Established in 1984
- Association Website: www.sagid.co.za
- South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)
- Association Type: Statutory Body
- Association Website: www.saica.co.za
- Institute of Commercial & Financial Accountants of Southern Africa (CFA)
- Association Type: Statutory Body
- Association Website: www.cfa-sa.co.za
- National Association of Child Care Workers
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.naccw.org.za
- South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.saimeche.org.za
- South African Association of Veterinary Technologists (SAAVT)
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.saavt.co.za
- Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists of South Africa (SMLTSA)
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.smltsa.org.za
- The South African Institute of Valuers
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.saiv.org.za
- Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA)
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.occupational-therapy.co.za
- Democratic Nursing Association of South Africa
- Association Website: www.denosa.org.za
- South African Association of Archivists
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.archives.org.za
- Cape Law Society
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.capelawsoc.law.za
- International Webmasters Association
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.iwanet.org
- Oil & Colour Chemists’ Association South African Division
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association website: www.occa.org.za
- South African Scriptwriters’ Association
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Website: www.saswa.org.za
- Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA)
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Type: www.assa.org.za
- The Marketing Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Voluntary Association
- Located in: Sandton, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 463 6136
- Banking Association South Africa
- Association Type: Professional Association or organization
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 645 6700
- Franchise Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Business to business service
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 615 0359
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Association Type: Association or organization
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 886 9996
- Restaurant Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Association of Businesses
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 705 2054
- United Nations Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Non-governmental organization
- Located in: Cape Town, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 21 850 0509
- Association Of Southern African Travel Agents
- Association Type: Professional Association
- Association Phone Contact: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 293 0560
- Payments Association of South Africa (PASA)
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 10 140 7100
- International Police Association – South Africa (IPA-ZA)
- Association Type: Non-profit organization
- Located in: Pretoria, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 12 333 0085
- South African Medical Association
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Association Phone Contact: +27 12 481 2000
- AFASA (African Farmers Association Of South Africa)
- Association Type: Agricultural association/ Cooperative
- Located in: Centurion, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 12 943 7290
- Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Voluntary Association or organization
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 712 8008
- Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Voluntary association
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 476 3217
- South African Association Of Retired Persons SAARP
- Association Type: Voluntary Association or organization
- Located in: Goodwood, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 21 592 1279
- Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) NPC
- Association Type: Non-profit organization
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 884 9164
- The South African Dental Association (SADA)
- Association Type: Professional Body
- Located in: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 484 5288
- Life Offices Association of South Africa
- Association Type: Voluntary Association
- Located in: Cape Town, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 21 421 2586
- South African Flameproof Association
- Association Type: Non-profit organization
- Located in: Sandton, South Africa
- Association Phone Contact: +27 11 061 5000
Conclusion
As the reader can see from the post above there are associations for almost everything in South Africa, from what may look like the important (medical and legal professional bodies) to what looks like mundane. ( such as the association of retired people)
As long as a common interest binds people together, they are at liberty to form an association in order to further their interests and ensure that issues that concern them receive adequate public attention.