Deputy Speaker, the ACDP supports this Bill. The Black Authorities Act established statutory tribal, regional and territorial authorities to generally administer the affairs of black people and abolished the Black Representative Council, which constituted the limited voting rights that existed at the time. It was a legislative cornerstone of apartheid by means of which black people were controlled and dehumanised. The ACDP agrees that the provisions of this Act are obsolete and repugnant to the values and human rights enshrined in the Constitution, and must be repealed.
The question arises as to why it has taken such a long time to repeal this Act. We understand that there would have been unintended consequences had the Act been repealed earlier, particularly relating to old community, regional and other tribal authorities. The Act makes provision for a sunset clause to enable KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo to repeal those provisions that were assigned to them, hopefully by 31 December 2010. After that date, this contentious Black Authorities Act will be no more. I thank you.