Judicial Matters Amendment Bill [B2 – 2015]

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services invites you to submit written submissions on the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill [B2 – 2015]:

The purpose of the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill is to amend following Acts:

Magistrates’ Courts Act, 1944, so as to further regulate the period of acting appointments of judicial officers; Criminal Procedure Act, 1955, so as to repeal an obsolete provision; Prescribed Rate of Interest Act, 1975, so as to further regulate the calculation of interest on certain debts; Magistrates Act, 1993, so as to further regulate the pension benefits of a magistrate who is appointed to the office of judge; Judicial Service Commission Act, 1994, so as to amend the position regarding accountability for the receipt and payment of money in respect of the administration and functioning of the Judicial Service Commission; Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996, so as to further regulate the reporting responsibilities of the head of the Special Investigating Unit; Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000, and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000, so as to further provide for the training and designation of presiding officers for purposes of court proceedings as contemplated in these Acts; Judges’ Remuneration and Conditions of Employment Act, 2001, so as to substitute references to the Director-General: Justice and Constitutional Development with references to the Secretary-General of the Office of the Chief Justice; to amend the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007, so as to further regulate reporting on the implementation and training programmes of the said Act; South African Judicial Education Institute Act, 2008, so as to amend the position regarding accountability for the receipt and payment of money in respect of the administration and functioning of the South African Judicial Education Institute; Child Justice Act, 2008, so as to further regulate reporting on the implementation of the said Act and to further regulate the expungement of records of certain convictions and diversion orders in respect of children; Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2013, so as to further regulate protective measures for foreign victims of trafficking, and to further regulate matters in respect of which regulations can be made; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Public hearings will be held in Parliament.

In addition to the written comments, please indicate your interest in making a verbal presentation by no later than Friday, 10 July 2015

Comments can be emailed to Mr V Ramaano at [email protected] by no later than Friday, 10 July 2015.

For Public hearings' dates and enquiries please contact Mr V Ramaano on tel (021) 403 3820 or cell 083 709 8427

Issued by Hon. M Motshekga, MP, Chairperson: PC on Justice and Correctional Services

Background
The amendments contained in the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill, 2015 (Bill) address practical challenges which have been identified in the application of the Acts being amended. They are mainly technical in nature.