Draft Documents for Wikimedia ZA chapter - WikimediaZA

12 Oct 2010

Dear Kerryn, thanks for keeping us on track.

I have a couple of observations and suggestions to offer.

There are still a few things that perhaps community members here 
(presuming everyone involved is on the list) should decide on 
collectively. To the extent that we discuss this with the chapters 
committee soon, they will want to know who is behind this, i.e. who the 
community members are. The three immediate things that need to be 
discussed and resolved are:

(1) Who are the founding members? - Would these be every South African 
Wikipedian on this list? All those who participated in the August 
workshops plus all others who are interested but couldn't make it? (If 
so: perhaps someone like Ian can discuss and compile that list).

Currently at 
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_South_Africa/Proposed_articles_of_… 
this is the corresponding point:

4.1. The first members of the company shall be [names of members, 
minimum 7, no maximum numbers].

(2) Who is willing to direct (i.e. be a director) of the Wikimedia South 
Africa chapter? This requires real discussion, as these individuals are 
committing time to running the organisation, seeding ideas, helping 
execute them, etc. It needs a process to ensure that there is both 
adequate and fair representation of all interests involved. Perhaps Ian 
and you can help lead this process: the questions to be decided are: how 
many directors do you want over the legal minimum of 3, who wants to be 
a director, if there are more people interested than there are positions 
to hold elections, and lastly - though this does not need to be done 
immediately - a separation of functions within directors as it makes 
sense, for example, a President, Treasurer etc. or as you see fit.

Currently at 
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_South_Africa/Proposed_articles_of_… 
these are the corresponding points:

8.1 Unless otherwise determined by a meeting of members, the number of 
directors shall not be less than 3 (three) who are not connected to each 
other in the sense that they are not spouses or are not related to each 
other or to each other’s spouses within the third degree of consanguinity.

8.2 The first directors of the company shall [insert names].

Other than attending to the comments made by David and Lodewijk (who is 
a voting member of chapcom by the way), some decisions will have to be 
made regarding who the community proposing this chapter is, and what 
responsibilities you will bear.

Good wishes,
Achal