How to affiliate a club to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

MSSA has had number of schools and other interested people enquiring about the process and benefits associated with registering with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

Mind Sports South Africa is the largest membership based gaming organisation in South Africa, and is also the official controlling body for Board games, Card games, Esports, Robotics, and Wargames. 

There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:

1. Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
2. Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding, 
3. Being able to get assistance from your local government,
4. Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers,
5. Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.,
6. Being able to put your club's news up on MSSA's blog,
7. Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

How to affiliate a club

To affiliate a club is quite an easy affair, all you have to do is follow these easy steps:

1. Gather the people together that want to form the club. Please note that there needs to be at least three members, and
2. Hold a meeting at which you agree to start a club, and at which meeting you agree to the Constitution as well as who are the elected office-bearers of the club (all such decisions must be by consensus), and
3. Write up the minutes of your inaugural meeting, and
4. Send in the club’s Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation to the MSSA.

However, it should be noted that school clubs do not need their own constitution and only require the permission of the school's  principal.

Once the MSSA is in receipt of the Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation, the MSSA will go through the Constitution and (if acceptable) approve it at the next Management Board Meeting. Only once membership is approved, are fees due.

Fee note for the 2019/2020 year 

The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.

The fees for the 2019/2020 gaming year (1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020) are:

Affiliation fees per club		R104.00 per annum
Registration fees:	Registered with MSSA Players who are members of school clubs	R110.00 per player R10.00 per player

Every club must  have a Constitution  

In order for a club to be a legal entity, a club must have a Constitution and must have multiplicity of members (3 or more members). The Constitution tells how the club operates and must, to a certain extent mirror MSSA’s Constitution. The Constitution  of a club must have certain clauses in order to ensure that there are the necessary bonds between the MSSA and the club. Therefore, MSSA insists that the clauses, “Objectives”, “Title and Legal Personality”, “Dispute Resolution”, and “Dissolution” remain unchanged. However, the club may amend the other clauses. Once the applicant club is satisfied with their Constitution, the elected Chairperson must initial each page, and sign and date the last page and submit a copy to the MSSA.

Anyone who would like to obtain more documentation, as well as the necessary application forms to register or affiliate with the MSSA please contact MSSA directly on mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com 

Also read: 

• Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills for SA Nationals in December 2019.
• Events for July until December 2019
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• National Federation Colours
• Earning Provincial Colours at S A National Championships.
• Any Registered Player may enter MSSA's S A National Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Events