Deputy Speaker, I move:
That the House suspends Rule 253(1), which provides inter alia that the debate on the Second Reading of a Bill may not commence before at least three working days have elapsed since the committee's report was tabled, for the purposes of conducting the Second Reading debate today on the Repeal of Black Administration Act and Amendment of Certain Laws Amendment Bill [B 15 - 2009].
Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: On the Order Paper, Orders two and three are also two Bills that we are going to discuss later this afternoon, and we need the same motion for those two Bills. If my point of order is correct - because we only completed those two Bills on traditional leaders yesterday - we can just add this to the resolution, since we don't want to come back tomorrow because we think that things were not done properly. If it is not correct or there is a motion at a later stage, of course then we can accept it.
Hon member, I am told that the Rule does not necessary apply, because on those orders - two and three - we are only dealing with the amendments from the NCOP. So, that Rule doesn't apply.
Deputy Speaker, with all due respect, I disagree. Those Bills lapsed last year, and they were introduced anew, first in the NCOP and now they have come to us, so we dealt with them as two totally new Bills. Perhaps that is the interpretation that was given, but I beg to differ with that.
Hon member, the advice that I am getting from the Table is that the Second Reading was completed. The Rule definitely does not apply. Can you maybe check your facts with them so that we don't delay the House?
I accept it. If that is a ruling, we want order and that things go through, but in the new Parliament we haven't yet dealt with these Bills, so I disagree, but I respect the ruling.
Agreed to.