JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO STATE CAPTURE

 

• Part 1 of the report was published on 4 January.
• In an accompanying media statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa undertook to submit the full report to Parliament ‘by the 30 June 2022’, with an indication of his ‘intentions’ on implementing its recommendations.
• According to a notice gazetted on 2 January, by 28 February the report’s two remaining parts are expected to have been presented to the President.

HIGH-DEMAND RADIO FREQUENCY SPECTRUM LICENSING PROCESS

• On 6 January, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni issued a media statement:
  • noting Telkom’s ‘new court application’, which seeks to set aside the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa’s 10 December invitation to apply for spectrum, and
  • confirming that she ‘will engage ... all relevant parties’ with the aim of reaching an out of court settlement and avoiding ‘further delays’ in the licensing process.

ZIMBABWE EXEMPTION PERMITS

• On 7 January, a notice was gazetted extending the validity of these permits by 12 months.

 

CRIMINAL LAW (FORENSIC PROCEDURES) AMENDMENT ACT, 2013

 

• According to a presidential proclamation gazetted on 13 January, section 2 of the Act will come into force on 31 January, prescribing:
  • the circumstances in which buccal, bodily and crime scene samples should be taken, and
  • when buccal samples may be used for investigation purposes.
• This is noting that the purpose of a Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill tabled last month is to make it mandatory for buccal samples to be taken from persons convicted of Schedule 8 offences.

 

PROPERTY PRACTITIONERS ACT, 2019

 

• The Act will come into force on 1 February, according to a presidential proclamation gazetted on 14 January, with the necessary regulations. Once fully operationalised, it is expected to facilitate sector transformation.

 

SOUTH AFRICAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION

 

• The deadline for public comment on the commission’s discussion paper on medico-legal claims has been extended to 28 February.

 

COVID-19

 

• The State of Disaster has been extended to 15 February.

 

• A ministerial directive gazetted on 14 January confirmed that spectators are permitted at school sports events, subject to limitations on the number of attendees at public gatherings prescribed in recent amendments to the disaster management regulations for adjusted lockdown level one.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby