What drives us
What drives us
Purpose
Mission
Our values
Governance Roles and Responsibilities
Current Leadership
CANSA code of conduct
Documents, AGMs and Reports
What drives us
CANSA is a community-driven and volunteer-based organisation that has been fighting cancer to save lives for the past 79 years. Started in 1931 by a group of medical professional concerned about the high incidence of cancer, CANSA has grown to become one of the leading cancer NGOs in the country with 45 offices around the country and more than 12 000 volunteers and 260 staff members. [Top]
Purpose
To lead the fight against cancer in South Africa and save lives. [Top]
Mission
To be the preferred non-profit leader that enables research, educates the public and provides support to all people affected by cancer. [Top]
To ensure that we become the leader in the fight against cancer:
- We will be known as the preferred non-profit leader in South Africa with an unquestioned reputation for integrity, trust and respect for all communities
- Our leadership style will be that of servant leadership. We will demonstrate action orientation, creativity, be future focused and noted for our daring business spirit
- We will be tough minded, transparent, self-critical yet supportive of each other
- We will take joint responsibility for the achievement of business objectives
Governance Roles and Responsibilities
- Board of Directors
- President & Vice-President
- Council of Governors
- Chairman/Vice Chairman of Board of Directors
- Provincial Governors
- Provincial Council
- Chief Executive Officer
- The Executive
Board of Directors
The Cancer Association of South Africa takes its mission to reduce the impact of cancer in all communities within South Africa seriously and therefore works to protect the resources entrusted to it by the public.
CANSA and its Board of Directors support the principles of sound corporate governance as contained in the King II report on Corporate Governance for South Africa.
CANSA is governed by a code of ethics that promotes transparency and accountability on all matters regarding the organisation including the financial situation, performance and governance of the organisation.
CANSA has a strong and capable Board of Directors to which CANSA subcommittee Heads and CANSA’s National Executive Director report. This structured system of organisational governance ensures proper checks and balances, the input of appropriate experts on decision-making and strategic oversight of comprehensive nationwide operations.
In turn, the Council of Governors, made up of the Provincial Governors and led by the President, evaluates the Board’s performance.
The Board is the highest decision-making body of the organisation and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the company. The Board delegates certain powers to the Provincial Councils to enable them to conduct their tasks efficiently. The Board also appoints from its members certain executive directors and delegates certain responsibilities to the executive directors. The Board may also delegate tasks to certain Board committees for example the remuneration committee, which is responsible for determining employee remuneration and recommending directors’ remuneration to the AGM.
Key Responsibilities
- Direct CANSA matters
- Be the risk managers of the organisation
- Design and approve strategies and policies
- Ensure an effective organisation
- Be the route for grievances by senior management
- Appoint CEO and other Executives
- Appoint and manage Boards Committees
- Ensure CANSA is a leader in NPO corporate governance
- Evaluate and monitor the performance of the organisation
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Be prepared for and able to participate effectively in meetings
- Reflect diversity
- Be informed about the health sector, especially cancer
- Have advocacy and communication skills
- Be visible and known to all in the organisation
- Be a leader and visionary
- Have an understanding of business
- Have sound business sense and financial skills
- Be knowledgeable about the law and governance
- Have a working knowledge of human resource management [Top]
The primary duties of the President and Vice-President are to evaluate the Board, chair the Council of Governors and be the ultimate role models for champions, volunteers and ambassadors for CANSA.
Responsibilities
- Chair the Council of Governors
- Be custodians of values and governance of CANSA
- Recommend to SCoM Board members
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Skilled in advocacy and lobbying
- A good communicator and facilitator
- Someone of integrity
- Be connected and respected in the community [Top]
The primary duty of the Council is to assess the effectiveness of the Board on an annual basis and make recommendations to the Board regarding improvements. The Council also reports annually to the AGM on the Board’s performance and may make recommendations to the AGM regarding the Board.
Responsibilities
- Monitor the governance of the organisation
- Assess the Board
- Be responsible for the remuneration of the non-executive Board members
- Custodians of CANSA way
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Belief in the cause
- Objectivity
- Knowledge of the business
- Being credible elders
- The ability to govern while staying out of the business of the organisation
- Having clarity on the role of the Council
- Being representative [Top]
Chairman/Vice Chairman of Board of Directors
The primary duties of the Chairman and Vice Chairman are to manage, support and mentor the CEO, evaluate Board members and manage the Board meetings. They are accountable to the Council of Governors and must oversee Provincial Councillors.
Responsibilities
- Manage and lead the Board including induction and performance
- Manage, support and mentor the CEO
- Evaluate Board members
- Manage the Board meetings
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Availability to attend to the needs of the organisation
- Be willing and able to be a spokesperson for CANSA
- A good understand of cancer/CANSA
- A good understanding of and commitment to corporate governance [Top]
The Provincial Governors are ambassadors for CANSA in the province and are members of the Council of Governors. They are responsible for evaluating the Provincial Council members. They also recommend to the Provincial Council AGMs regarding re-nomination of members.
Responsibilities
- Be ambassadors for CANSA in the province
- Evaluate Provincial Council members
Skills/Qualities Needed
- A good understand of cancer/CANSA
- A good understanding of and commitment to corporate governance
- Belief in the cause
- Objectivity
- Knowledge of the business
- Being credible elders [Top]
The Board will delegate certain powers to Provincial Councils for the purpose of better managing the day-to-day activities of the company on a provincial level. Each Provincial Council is responsible for advising the Board of the activities of the company in the relevant province. The Provincial Councils may also direct the Chairman of the Board to place certain issues on the agenda of a Board meeting.
Responsibilities
- Advise and oversee CANSA’s work in the province
- Identify needs and recommend solutions
- Promote the organisation and monitor matters within the province
- Build bridges into the community and gather information
- Liaison with Local and Provincial Government structures
Skills/Qualities Needed
- The ability to reflect diversity
- The ability to represent the community and report to the community
- Promote the importance of local accountability
- Be respected by and able to influence the provincial community [Top]
The CEO is responsible for implementing strategy and managing people while being an inspiring and motivating leader.
Responsibilities
- Report to the Board in an effective/informative way and advise the Board
- Have a high public profile as a representative of CANSA
- Evaluate reports and accept total accountability
- Be a strong communicator, both written and orally
- Be constantly (at least 6 steps) ahead of everyone else in the organisation
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Be a decision maker and not a procrastinator
- Be aware of and able to resolve conflict/discontent around her/him
- Be able to build maturity within the ranks of the organisation
- Develop and mentor a leadership cadre
- Be a committed hard worker who can lead the organisation by example
- Be a people’s person who can foster unity among staff and a sense of purpose and commitment. [Top]
The Executive influences and executes Board decisions while also being accountable to the Board. The Executive also monitors CANSA’s performance and ensures that policies and procedures are developed and adhered to.
Responsibilities
- Monitor CANSA’s performance
- Ensure policies are developed and adhered to
- Ensure CANSA is in the face of South Africa
- Ensure financial health and operationally sound systems
- Assess and manage risk to the organisation
- Assess/employ/deploy resources based strictly on need and availability of resources
- Be the custodian of CANSA’s reputation
- Embody/Embrace the CANSA Way
- Ensure feedback from decision-making structures
- Address non-performance
- Implement/execute statutory imperatives
Skills/Qualities Needed
- Team builder
- Motivator in order to enthuse the organisation
- Visionary and planner to shape the future
- Role model to enable/create culture/climate for performance
- Disciplinarian [Top]
Current Leadership
CANSA code of conduct
As CANSA’s highest-decision-making body, the Board of Directors guides the organisation according to its vision of striving for a cancer smart South Africa. The Board of Directors has roles and responsibilities to ensure that CANSA achieves its mission of fighting cancer to save lives. In conducting CANSA business and being ambassadors for the organisation, staff and volunteers are committed to the values of teamwork, innovation, integrity, passion, accountability and excellence.
The leadership of CANSA, from the President to management, are governed by the following:
- Business Conduct: Business operations are conducted in a manner that complies with the law of South Africa. Zero tolerance will be displayed towards bribery, corruption and other forms of misconduct. Board and Provincial Council members, management and staff will never compromise the interests of the organisation nor engage in activities to benefit themselves.
- Corporate Governance: The Board of Directors ensures the development and implementation of a company governance framework that ensures timely and accurate disclosure on all material matters regarding the organisation including the finances, performance and governance.
- Community Involvement: Our responsibility towards the communities we serve includes sustainable development and the employment of previously disadvantaged individuals and local labour.
- Workplace/Employees: The following policies must be in place on these issues: non-discrimination, HIV/AIDS, employment equity, training and development, downsizing/layoffs, harassment and abuse and maternity/paternity leave.
- Customers/Clients: All customers/clients and communities must be treated equally with dignity and respect without discrimination. CANSA services are customer/client driven and focused.
- Consultation: Mechanisms must be in place in all provinces, regions and service units to ensure customers/clients are consulted about quality and relevance of services they receive. Results of these consultations must be reported to the CEO and Board of Directors.
- Service Standards: All stakeholders must be informed of the availability and quality of services they can expect to receive from CANSA.
Access: All customers/clients/communities must have equal access to CANSA services. - Courtesy: All customers/clients must be treated with courtesy and respect.
Information: All customers/clients must have access to detailed information on CANSA’s services. - Transparency: CANSA operates within a culture of transparency for all stakeholders regarding structure, governing principles and income and expenditure of services.
- Redress: All complaints by customers/clients must be dealt with immediately in a professional, transparent and efficient manner to restore a positive attitude to CANSA.
- Value for Money: CANSA endeavours to provide our services as economically and efficiently as possible in order to give customers/clients the best possible value for money.
- Human Rights: Management and the Board of Directors pledge to uphold respect for human rights and democratic institutions. The code of conduct regarding health and safety, freedom of association, salaries and benefits and working hours and overtime is clearly defined in the Human Resources policy and procedures manual.
- Environment: Management and the Board of Directors pledge to protect and where possible, improve the environment in which we operate, promote sustainable development and prevent wasting natural resources. CANSA does not endorse, support or develop products that have a detrimental impact on the environment. CANSA’s waste management system must include recyling.
- Accountability: CANSA’s processes and methodologies must ensure accountability to all stakeholders. Indicators include degree of transparency, degree of stakeholder engagement and levels of monitoring, measuring and verifying performance.
- Policies and Constitution: Management and the Board of Directors must comply with the Constitution and all policies adopted by CANSA. [Top]
Documents, AGMs and Reports
Click here to view CANSA company documents, AGM notices and financial reports. [Top]Published in: CANSA > About us
