Election of Chairperson

Meeting report

OPEN DEMOCRACY BILL AD HOC COMMITTEE
15 September 1999
ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON

MINUTES
Mr J de Lange (ANC) was nominated and appointed as the chairperson of the Committee. Mr J Mahlangu (NCOP - ANC) was elected as co-chairperson.

Chairperson said that the Bill has to be passed by the 4 February 2000. He mentioned that there have been 35 submissions received thus far and he promised the members that they would be circulated, along with the recommendations of the SAHRC conference and some of the "good" papers from that event.

The committee intends to hold public hearings on the bill during the week of 11-15 October, and it appears that the committee will not meet before then. Members are expected to review the existing documents in the meantime.

De Lange indicated that "repeat" oral submissions will not be accommodated. In a conversation at the close of the meeting, he said that witnesses would have to have something "seriously new" to say in order to warrant another opportunity for an oral submission. He welcomed further written submissions and said groups should feel free to lobby individual members of the ad hoc committee. (During the meeting, he remarked that members should 'be open' to meeting with and listening to civil society representatives 'who have done an enormous amount of work on the Bill'.)

De Lange emphasised that the ODB should not be passed until the Administrative Justice Bill was also ready to be passed. Simultaneous consideration of the two bills would help to avoid clashes and inconsistencies between them.

The committee will consider the ODB in its present form (B67-98). De Lange dismissed the intelligence concerning departmental recommendations to the Minister on changes to the Cabinet exemption and enforcement mechanisms as a "nonsense rumor". He said no change has been suggested.