Legislation

The Department of Justice and Correctional Services informed lawmakers that a revised Traditional Courts Bill will be tabled in Parliament before the end of the parliamentary year. The Bill aims to regulate existing traditional courts in accordance to the Constitution and the law. The Bill will recognise Traditional Courts as courts of law of a special kind with clear statutory powers and prefers a progressive approach for the equal participation of women. It also prescribes parameters for opting out of the system, effective enforcement mechanism through Justices of the Peace who will be drawn from paralegals, and provides for escalation within the system with review to the High Court up to the Constitutional Court.

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs invites the public to submit written comments on the Refugees Amendment Bill.

The Department of Transport has published the draft Civil Aviation Amendment Bill  for public comment.
The Social Cluster Cabinet Committee reviewed a proposal for Amendments to the Social Assistance Act. These amendments include, amongst other aspects; changes to the administration of social grants that will improve the efficiency of the Appeals process and the functioning of the Inspectorate. The amendments also seek to empower the Minister to make additional payments for certain social grants- such as Child Support Grant to orphaned and vulnerable children living in child headed households. 

The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform says land is a fundamental asset to change the lives of people for the better. He made these remarks during a two-day conference on the proposed Communal Land Tenure Bill and the Communal Property Associations Amendment Bill. The Communal Property Associations Amendment Bill, which is to be tabled before Parliament later this year, seeks to address the governance, accountability and other challenges facing Communal Property Associations (CPAs). The Communal Land Tenure Bill, among others, seeks to confirm land rights within communities and support the development and institutionalisation of community land governance rules.

The Minister of Trade and Industry published the National Liquor Amendment Bill  for public comment. The bill wants to raise the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 years in order to curb abuse amongst young people. In addition, it seeks to clamp down on illegal alcohol sales through unlicensed outlets, by introducing a new clause of civil liability to manufacturers who supply liquor to these unlicensed suppliers. The proposed law will also place a limitation on advertising of alcohol products that targets young people when it comes to times, content and parameters.

The Minister of Trade and Industry published the National Gambling Amendment Bill  for public comment. The amendment bill proposes that the National Gambling Board should become the national gambling regulator. The bill also provides for additional restrictions on gambling advertising to ensure there is prohibition to unsolicited messages that are directed towards vulnerable groups like minors.

The Small Claims Courts now forms part of the new Judicial Matters Amendment Bill which has been approved by Cabinet and will be tabled in Parliament. The new Bill now amends section 25 of the Small Claims Courts Act in order to provide that the Rules Board, may, subject to the approval of the Minister, make, amend or repeal rules in respect of small claims courts. It also seeks to amend the Sheriffs Act to provide that money in the Fidelity Fund for Sheriffs may also be utilised for the payment, in deserving cases, of the costs for the enforcement of judgments of small claims courts.