This Bill will give them the opportunity that when they are appointed it is done in the same way as when judges are appointed in terms of section 174 (1) of the Constitution. Currently the legislation says a person should have either an LL B degree, pass the Public Service Senior Law Examination or an examination deemed by the Minister to be equivalent to that.
Further, the second clause only deals with the list the Magistrate's Commission should keep from which they can appoint people to be magistrates in the Regional Courts. There would be a name for such list.
Lastly, clause 4 intends to amend the Bill so that the Minister can use his discretion to appoint or authorise people who can serve court processes, summons, subpoenas and the like because there are companies which are given, by the Magistrates' Court, an authority to serve court processes. Now the Minister will be in a position to put conditions for such people to be appointed, make a declaration, and publish it in the Government Gazette.
May I take this opportunity to thank the committee, both the ruling party as well as the opposition because there was agreement when this Bill was finalised. The report was adopted by the committee.
I would also like to thank the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development represented here by hon De Lange. I also want to thank another Mr De Lange who is one of the officials who has been working on this Bill. I must say he must pass my regards to Mr J B Skhosana, who was also working seriously with the jurisdiction of Regional Courts, which is now in full swing. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the previous chairperson when this Bill was started, hon Yunus Carrim.
The ANC supports the Bill and asks the House to adopt it. [Applause.]