Article 1. INCORPORATION AND PURPOSE
1.1 NAME AND LEGAL STATUS
The Southern African Railways Association – SARA (hereinafter referred to as the Association) is hereby established in accordance with the terms of this Constitution . The Association shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession, having existence separate from its members.
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION
The Purpose of the Association is to promote the common business interests of railways in Southern Africa by establishing a regional framework for the joint delivery of a cost effective, regionally integrated seamless and predictable railway transport service and advocate for a sustainable fair surface transport policy in the SADC Region.
1.3 FUNCTIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION
The functions of the Association shall be as follows:
1.3.1 To work together as different member railways and railway service providers in search of business, operating and technical practices that would ensure a cost effective, regionally integrated, seamless and predictable customer-oriented transport service.
1.3.2 Support the SADC economies by providing a sustainable, cost-effective, seamless and efficient railway transport system.
1.3.3 Develop benchmarks for service standards and levels of maintenance for infrastructure and equipment to ensure a uniform threshold standard of service delivery by all member railways.
1.3.4 Act as a strong, effective, but objective railway mouthpiece and lobby group, with the aim of promoting rail interests among all stakeholders and contributing towards the development of national as well as regional transport policies that would ensure equity and fairness for all surface modes of transport.
1.3.5 Assist in the formulation and implementation of measures for the levelling of the playing field either based on “the user pays principle and total infrastructure cost recovery regimes” or “for an equitable share of government contribution towards infrastructure provision” for all surface modes of transport.
1.3.6 Monitor and inform members and other stakeholders regarding law enforcement of transport and any other policies affecting railway business in the SADC region.
1.3.7 Establish and maintain a forum for the exchange and sharing of ideas, expertise, and information; joint problem solving and maximization of transport efficiency.
1.3.8 Arrange training courses or seminars, where necessary, for members to attain prescribed regional certification/proficiency level in order to guarantee uniform threshold standard of service delivery by all member railways along the transport corridors.
1.3.9 Establish and maintain appropriate real time, interactive cargo information systems among operating members for informed operational and business decisions, as well as the provision of advance cargo information to customers.
1.3.10 Promote Sports and Cultural cooperation among members and their employees.
1.3.11 Solicit and negotiate with donors and co-operating partners for funding and provision of assistance on behalf of members.
1.3.12 Assist SADC member states in the implementation of the rail provisions in the SADC Protocol on Transport, Communication, and Meteorology (PTCM), or any other covenants in this discipline, and thereby encouraging the development and growth of the railway transport industry in the region.
