Strong focus on Parliament bills

PARLIAMENT is focusing this week on processing bills and holding public hearings before the end of the parliamentary recess in two weeks time.

MPs who serve on at least four committees will skip the recess in order to speed up the finalisation of some legislation in time, before next year’s elections.

Debt relief for low-income consumers and reckless lending will come under scrutiny, when the trade and industry portfolio committee meets today and tomorrow.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the portfolio committee would consider input on additional submissions and legal opinion received on the National Credit Amendment Bill.

In June, the committee published new amendments, which were not previously advertised for public comment.

Committee chairperson Joan Fubbs said at the time they were obtaining the opinion of senior legal counsel on the constitutionality of certain sections of the proposed bill.

The committee hopes to incorporate lessons from its study tour of the UK before introducing the bill into the National Assembly.

Mothapo also said the committee would tomorrow hold a meeting with the South African Bureau of Standards on the forensic investigation into alleged irregularities that arose from the Eskom inquiry.

He also said the portfolio committee on higher education would be briefed by the Department of Higher Education and Training, on the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Bill.

This legislation seeks to ensure that private education institutions are registered and accredited by the department to award educational qualifications.

The bill makes it an offence to falsely claim to be registered and accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority.

Persons conspiring to commit corruption under this bill face up to three years’ imprisonment.

Mothapo said four committees were scheduled to hold public hearings in parts of the country.

The joint constitutional review committee was scheduled to hold public hearings in the Western Cape, between August1 and 4, on the expropriation of land without compensation.

“The hearings, already held in eight of the nine provinces, have stimulated a national conversation about the role of land reform in creating a South Africa in which we heal the wounds of the past and entrench a democracy based on justice for all,” he said.

The portfolio committee on transport would continue with public hearings on the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill in the Eastern Cape today.

There will also be hearings in KwaZulu-Natal tomorrow and the Western Cape on Thursday.

“The bill is intended to replace the Road Accident Fund Act, to improve administration of benefits and payments for road accident victims, among other things,” Mothapo said.