Parliament, Tuesday 17 November 2020 – The National Assembly (NA) has, during its hybrid plenary today, passed three Bills - the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill and the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill.

The three Bills were tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Finance, together with the 2020 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. The draft version of the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (Rates and Monetary Amounts) was part of the 2020 Budget announcements on 26 February 2020. Together with other annual tax bills, the Rates and Monetary Amounts Bill gives effect to changes in rates and monetary thresholds to the income tax tables, adjustment of transfer duty rates to support the property market and increases of the excise duties on alcohol and tobacco.

The Tax Laws Amendment Bill and the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill, on the other hand, were published by National Treasury for the first time on 31 July 2020 in order to solicit public comments on them, with a closing date of 31 August 2020. National Treasury and SARS hosted workshops with stakeholders to discuss their written comments on the two Bills, together with other tax bills, on 9, 10 and 11 September 2020.

Having considered the three Bills, the Standing Committee on Finance – which was tasked to process them on behalf of the National Assembly - recommended that the House pass them with amendments.

During its plenary today the NA passed the three Bills and they will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.

Today’s plenary further considered and approved the report of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services that recommends closing the considerable pay gap between the Public Protector and her Deputy. In a letter to the Speaker, dated 18 August 2020, the President requested the National Assembly to consider the Notice determining the salary, benefits and allowances payable to the Deputy Public Protector in terms of section 2A of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994 to adjust the current salary of the Deputy Public Protector as she is earning significantly less than the executive management of the institution.

In his letter the President proposed that the Deputy Public Protector’s remuneration be set at R1 814 065 per annum. Having considered the matter the Committee recommended that the NA approve the President’s proposal and further recommended that the effective date of the determination be the date on which Adv. Nompilo Kholeka Gcaleka took up the office of Deputy Public Protector, namely 1 February 2020.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930