Chapter 2: Formation, Administration and Dissolution of Companies
Part F: Governance of companies

s57: Interpretation and application of Part

  • (1) In this Part, "shareholder" has the meaning set out in section 1, but also includes a person who is entitled to exercise any voting rights in relation to a company, irrespective of the form, title or nature of the securities to which those voting rights are attached.
    • (2) If a profit company, other than a state-owned company, has only one shareholder:
      • (a) that shareholder may exercise any or all of the voting rights pertaining to that company on any matter, at any time, without notice or compliance with any other internal formalities, except to the extent that the company's Memorandum of Incorporation provides otherwise; and
        • (b) sections 59 to 65 do not apply to the governance of that company.
        • (3) If a profit company, other than a state-owned company, has only one director:
          • (a) that director may exercise any power or perform any function of the board at any time, without notice or compliance with any other internal formalities, except to the extent that the company's Memorandum of Incorporation provides otherwise; and
            • (b) sections 71(3) to (7), 73 and 74 do not apply to the governance of that company.
            • (4) If every shareholder of a particular company, other than a state-owned company, is also a director of that company:
              • (a) any matter that is required to be referred by the board to the shareholders for decision may be decided by the shareholders at any time after being referred by the board, without notice or compliance with any other internal formalities, except to the extent that the Memorandum of Incorporation provides otherwise, provided that:
                • (i) every such person was present at the board meeting when the matter was referred to them in their capacity as shareholders;
                  • (ii) sufficient persons are present in their capacity as shareholders to satisfy the quorum requirements set out in section 64; and
                    • (iii) a resolution adopted by those persons in their capacity as shareholders has at least the support that would have been required for it to be adopted as an ordinary or special resolution, as the case may be, at a properly constituted shareholder's meeting; and
                    • (b) when acting in their capacity as shareholders, those persons are not subject to the provisions of section 73 to 78 relating to the duties, obligations, liabilities and indemnification of directors.
                    • (5) The board of a company that holds any securities of a second company may authorise any person to act as its representative at any shareholders meeting of that second company.
                      • (6) A person authorised to act as a company's representative, as contemplated in subsection (5), may exercise the same powers as the authorising company could have exercised if it were an individual holder of securities.
                        • (7) For greater certainty, this section applies to the exercise of authority within a company in respect of any matter arising in terms of this Act or a company's Memorandum of Incorporation, irrespective of whether any such particular matter is expressly addressed in this Part.

                          Related Sections

                          s59: Record date for determining shareholder rights
                          s60: Shareholders acting other than at meeting
                          s61: Shareholders meetings
                          s62: Notice of meetings
                          s63: Conduct of meetings
                          s64: Meeting quorum and adjournment
                          s65: Shareholder resolutions
                          s71: Removal of directors
                          s73: Board meetings
                          s74: Directors acting other than at meeting
                          s75: Director's personal financial interests
                          s76: Standards of directors conduct
                          s77: Liability of directors and prescribed officers
                          s78: Indemnification and directors' insurance

                          Related Regulations

                          No related regulations.

                          Related Notes

                          No related note.

                          Related Forms

                          No related forms.