Chairperson, Chief Whip and the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, good afternoon. This afternoon, I would like to share with the House some of the deliberations that the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs had on the Black Authorities Act Repeal Bill, B9 of 2010, that was introduced by the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform to Parliament.
The Black Authorities Act is the legislation which established statutory tribal, regional and territorial authorities to generally administer the affairs of black people, abolished the Black Representative Council established by section 20 of the Representation of Blacks Act, Act 12 of 1936 and amended the Black Affairs Act, Act 23 of 1920 and the Representation of Blacks Act, Act 12 of 1936.
This Act was a legislative cornerstone of apartheid by which black people were controlled and is reminiscent of the past division and discrimination. The provisions of the Act are both obsolete and repugnant to the values and human rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Therefore, the legislative process that the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs followed for this section 76 Bill firstly entailed being briefed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. Following the process for the section 76 Bill, the provinces were alerted, and the permanent delegates briefed their respective provincial counterparts on the Bill. Public hearings were then held within the provinces and, after that, a mandate - negotiating meeting where eight provinces supported the Bill. The final mandate meeting was held on 2 November 2010, with all nine provinces supporting the Bill without amendment.
Therefore, Minister and members of the House, the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, having considered the Black Authorities Act Repeal Bill, Bill 9 of 2010, and it being classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism, JTM, as a section 76 Bill, recommends adoption of the Bill without amendment.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Bill be agreed to.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.