Parliament, Thursday, 4 April 2024 – The newly constituted Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill today received a briefing on the Bill from the State Security Agency (SSA).
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) established an ad hoc committee in terms of Council Rule 169 (1)(b), to consider and report on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB), which was passed by the National Assembly on 26 March 2024. The Bill provides for important legislative reforms related to the structuring of intelligence services in South Africa.
The committee consists of nine members of the NCOP. They are Mr Kenneth Mmoiemang (ANC), Ms Shahidabibi Shaikh (ANC), Mr China Dodovu (ANC), Ms Zukiswa Ncitha (ANC), Ms Lindiwe Bebee, Ms Cathlene Labuschagne (DA), Mr Frederik Badenhorst (DA), Ms Mbali Dlamini (EFF) and Mr Stephanus du Toit (FF Plus). Mr Kenneth Mmoiemang was elected as the Chairperson of the committee.
The committee today received a briefing on the Bill’s objectives, the process followed by the National Assembly in passing the Bill, and the definitions, mandates and functions of intelligence services. The briefing also contained a summary of issues raised during the National Assembly public participation process and responses to the issues raised during this process.
The committee plans to start the public participation process by advertising nationally next week for written and oral public comments. The committee has also agreed to conduct public hearings to receive inputs on the Bill in four provinces – the North West, Northern Cape, Free State and the Eastern Cape. This is to ensure that parliamentary public participation on the Bill included public hearings in all nine provinces.
The public hearings programme is scheduled to commence on 13 April 2024 and conclude on 28 April 2024. This is in addition to oral submissions the committee will consider from invited stakeholders during a virtual meeting.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE GENERAL INTELLIGENCE LAWS AMENDMENT BILL, MR KENNETH MMOIEMANG.
For media enquiries, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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