About Us | Legal Status

The International Red Cross Organisation Definitions

  • The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): the oldest body of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and deals in conflict-related situations.
  • The International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): a body that was created in 1991 to coordinate all 185 National Societies around the world.
  • All National Red Cross Societies are set up by an act of parliament of their national governments and provide humanitarian assistance in health and disaster catastrophes.
  • Together, the ICRC, the IFRC and all 185 National Societies, make up the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
  • Red Cross and Red Crescent: When the Movement extended beyond Europe, some nations found the cross symbol unacceptable and thus the crescent was introduced.

The South African Red Cross Legal Status

The South African Red Cross Society is an association not for gain incorporated under the company laws of the Republic of South Africa. It is capable of having its own rights, duties and obligations as it is a "body corporate" with full legal personality, and it has perpetual succession and an identity and existence separate to and independent of that of its members.

The Legal History of the Red Cross in South Africa

Although its history goes back further, the South African Red Cross Society was FORMALLY founded in 1921 and established by the Government Notice No 280 on 13 February 1923 - with the aim of providing relief assistance and to act as an auxiliary to the public authorities in the field of humanitarian affairs.

The South African Red Cross Society was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on 10 May 1928 and admitted as a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the Federation) on 24 June 1929 (then called the League).

A Memorandum and Articles of Association were provisionally adopted in 1930. In 1932, the Governor General, in terms of the Geneva Conventions, granted authority to The South African Red Cross Society to use the emblem and the words "Red Cross". In March 1935 The South African Red Cross Society was registered and incorporated under the Companies Act 1926 (Section 21) as an Association not for Profit.

The Constitution is based on the Geneva Conventions and the additional protocols (to which the Republic of South Africa is a Party), and on the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.