25 November 1997
LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS THIS QUARTER
The final session of Parliament this year saw a number of important Bills
being passed by both Houses, which will significantly add to the pace of
transformation of our country. This bulletin gives a brief overview of
some of the Bills.
NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS BILL
The purpose of this Bill is to make it easier for nonprofit organisations
to operate. A Directorate for Non Profit Organisations will be established
to coordinate policy, to implement a simplified voluntary registration
system for non-profit organisations, and to make and implement policy for
such organisations.
All restrictions on fund-raising are removed and organisations will no
longer any need for a fund-raising number.
The Bill obliges the Minister to make regulations governing the conduct
and practices of non-profit organisations.
PUBLIC FUNDING OF REPRESENTED POLITICAL PARTIES BILL
This Bill provides the legislation for a fund is to be established,
the Representative Political Parties` Fund, out of which funds are allocated
to political parties represented in the National Assembly and provincial
legislatures.
A formula is provided according to which allocations will be made. Funds
may only be used towards functioning as a political party.
WELFARE LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
This Bill phases out the old maintenance grant, and replaces it with
a new child support grant, which will reach ten times as many children.
The new grant will be payable to the child`s care-giver, and will follow
the child if the child is cared for by different people, ensuring that
the grant goes to the child and not the parent.
MEDICAL, DENTAL & SUPPLEMENTARY HEALTH SERVICE PROFESSIONS AMENDMENT
BILL
The Bill provides for the establishment of the Health Professions Council
of South Africa and professional boards for health professions and abolishes
the Interim Medical and Dental Council of South Africa. It provides for
control over the training, registration and practices of health professionals.
It includes steps to bring equality in health professions, to deal with
registration of persons who qualified outside the Republic.
HOUSING BILL
This Bill defines the role of the three tiers of government in the housing
delivery process. It repeals all existing housing legislation and establishes
the framework which will guide housing development in our country, with
the ultimate aim of providing all South Africans with decent housing, close
to facilities and with suitable infrastructure.
It provides for the control of funds by the National Department so that
national housing programmes are financed in the most effective way. It
makes provincial governments accountable for the administration of housing
programmes.
A National Housing Code will be established, and a national housing
data bank and information system will provide accurate housing information.
MEDICINE & RELATED SUBSTANCES CONTROL BILL
One of the main benefits of this Bill will be the supply of more affordable
medicines to the people of South Africa. Pharmacies will be obliged to
offer patients cheaper `generic` medicines, i.e. medicines which contain
the same ingredients and are identical to branded medicines, but are usually
much cheaper. It also allows for the `parallel importation` of medicines,
where an identical product made by the same company, but in a country other
than where the South African distributor purchases it at a lower price.
It provides for the speedy registration of essential medicines, it prohibits
the bonusing and sampling of medicines and prescribes a code of ethics
for the marketing policies of pharmaceutical companies.
EDUCATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
This Bill allows schools to appoint extra teachers and non-teaching
staff. It requires schools to first consider employing teachers from the
redeployment list, and if none is suitable, the school can motivate to
employ teachers not on the list. It ensures that immovable property of
ex-Model C Schools remains the property of the State.
PHARMACY AMENDMENT BILL
This Bill aims to increase the range of outlets at which medicines can
be dispensed and to abolish the monopoly that pharmacies have over
the ownership of pharmacies.
It also establishes the South African Pharmacy Council, which will replace
the Interim Pharmacy Council.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE SECOND AMENDMENT BILL
This Bill is aimed at strengthening the fight against crime by making
it almost impossible for people accused of serious crimes to get bail.
It eliminates the right of an accused to immediate bail hearings, outside
of normal court hours. It also ensures that bail applications are heard
by higher courts, and that if there is very strong community feeling that
an accused should not get bail, this can be taken into account. Accused
will no longer be entitled to the police docket at bail hearings which
will prevent the intimidation of witnesses.
CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT BILL
This legislation lays down minimum sentences for offences that were
formerly punishable by death or other forms of physical punishment.
PAROLE AND CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION AMENDMENT BILL
This Bill extends the power of courts to ensure that a compulsory period
of a sentence is served before a prisoner can be released on parole.
