Cap. 25:27 Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education Act No. 1/2006 Filling of vacancies on Council 5. On the death of, or the vacation of office by, an appointed member, the Minister shall within three months, appoint a person to fill the vacancy. Meetings and procedure of Council 6.(1) The Council shall hold its first meeting on a date and place fixed by the Minister, and thereafter shall meet for the dispatch of business and adjourn, close and otherwise regulate its meetings and procedure as it thinks fit: Provided that the Council shall meet at least four times in each financial year. (2) The chairperson of the Council(a) may convene a special meeting of the Council at any time; and (b) shall convene a special meeting of the Council on the written request of the Minister or not fewer than two members, which meeting shall be convened for a date not sooner than seven and not later than thirty days after the chairperson's receipt of the request. (3) Written notice of a special meeting convened in terms of subparagraph (2) shall be sent to each member not later than forty-eight hours before the meeting and shall specify the business for which the meeting has been convened. (4) No business shall be discussed at a special meeting convened in terms of subparagraph (2) other than(a) such business as may be determined by the chairperson of the Council, where he or she convened the meeting in terms of subparagraph (2)(a); or (b) the business specified in the request for the meeting, where the chairperson of the Council convened the meeting in terms of subparagraph (2)(b). (5) The chairperson of the Council or, in his or her absence, the vice-chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council: Provided that, if the chairperson and the vice-chairperson are both absent from any meeting of the Council, the members present may elect one of their number to preside at the meeting as chairperson. (6) Ten members shall form a quorum at any meeting of the Council. (7) Subject to subparagraph (12), anything authorised or required to be done by the Council may be decided by a majority vote at any meeting of the Council at which a quorum is present. (8) With the Council's approval, the chairperson of the Council may invite any person to attend a meeting of the Council or a committee, where the chairperson considers that the person has special knowledge or experience in any matter to be considered by the Council or the committee, as the case may be, at that meeting. (9) A person invited to attend a meeting of the Council or of a committee in terms of subparagraph (8) may take part in the proceedings of the Council or the committee as if he or she were a member thereof, but shall not have a vote on any question before the Council or committee, as the case may be. (10) Subject to subparagraph (11) and to paragraph 9, at all meetings of the Council each member present shall have one vote on any question before the Council and, in the event of an equality of votes, the person presiding at the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote. - 19 -