Parliament, Monday, 26 July 2021 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is calling for public comments in response to a Private Member’s Bill, the Disaster Management Amendment Bill proposed by a Member of Parliament, Dr Petrus Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus. Bills drawn up by individual Members are called Private Member’s Bills.
The Constitution expressly gives both individual Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Legislatures the power to initiate legislation (in sections 73 and 119). Section 59 (1) of the Constitution mandates Parliament to facilitate public involvement in the legislative and other processes of its work. The facilitation of public involvement will see the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the committee responsible for the Disaster Management Act, receive written submissions from any interested persons as required in section 56 (d) of the Constitution.
The proposed Amendment Bill seeks to provide that:
- Only the National Assembly, provincial legislature or council of a municipality may resolve to extend a national, provincial or local state of disaster respectively, and to provide for the duration of the extension;
- A resolution to extend a national, provincial or local state of disaster as the case may be, may only be adopted after a public debate in the respective legislatures;
- There should be oversight by the National Assembly and provincial legislature over a national or provincial state of disaster, respectively.
The committee has placed adverts inviting interested parties to participate through written submissions, which should reach the committee by the 26th of August 2021. Members of the public can make a written or oral submission in their mother tongue.
Written submissions should be addressed to Ms Faith Muthambi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and marked for the attention of Ms Shereen Cassiem, P.O. Box 15, Parliament, Cape Town, 8000. Alternatively email: scassiem@parliament.gov.za
Enquiries should be directed to Ms Shereen Cassiem on 083 709 8533 Fax no: 086 623 6321 or email:scassiem@parliament.gov.za
If a written copy of the Bill is required it can be downloaded of the website, www.parliament.gov.za or click on the url: https://tinyurl.com/czf599wt . Copies are available at the nearest Government Printers or the Committee Secretary.
Closing date for submissions is 26 August 2021.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MS FAITH MUTHAMBI.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 2239
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
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