Chairperson, unfortunately this Bill is not going to be as exciting as the previous one. I think too much excitement for a day might not be too good for us. It's a fairly straightforward Bill. It's an amending Bill.
Against the background of unprecedented urbanisation and population growth, both of which have resulted in an enormous demand for housing, the Department of Housing has come to recognise the critical importance of the rental option. Accordingly, the department places stress on the efficient functioning of the rental housing market. It is in our interest that we ensure that this sector is given all the support we can give while, at the same time, ensuring that sufficient protection exists for the tenant. Having been sensitised about some of the problems of existing legislation, we have taken the necessary steps to amend it. Following Cabinet approval of the Rental Housing Amendment Bill in December last year, a consultative process was undertaken on the objectives of the Bill. A publication of the Bill was made in the Government Gazette in the same month for comments. Subsequently, it was revised, based on the comments that we have received. It has now been brought here to this House for further deliberation and approval.
Principally, the Bill seeks to make necessary amendments to the Rental Housing Act of 1999, where in particular it seeks to widen the definition of what constitutes unfair practice in the rental housing market. Thus, the insertion of a very important provision which states, and I quote:
In advertising a dwelling for purposes of leasing it, or in negotiating a lease with a prospective tenant, or during the term of a lease, a landlord may not unfairly discriminate against such prospective tenant or tenants, or the members of such tenants household or the bona fide visitors of such a tenant, on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.
In addition to the above, the Rental Housing Amendment Bill endeavours to address certain implementation problems which we have encountered since the promulgation of the Act in 1999 by effecting the following amendments.
Section 5 of the Act is amended to clarify aspects pertaining to the issuing of receipts by the landlord and the payment of deposits by tenants; the provisions pertaining to the composition of the Rental Housing Tribunals, as contained in section 9, are amended; section 13 of the Act is amended to allow Rental Housing Tribunals to make a ruling that a person must comply with the provisions of the Act and to provide that rulings by Rental Housing Tribunals must be enforced in terms of the Magistrates' Courts Act of 1944; and section 15 of the Act is amended to empower the Minister to make regulations, whereas in the past this power was vested in the MECs - this amendment has been necessitated by the need to ensure uniformity throughout the country with regard to procedures followed by the Rental Housing Tribunals as well as rulings made by them.
It is our view that these changes will bring about much-needed uniformity in the rental housing market which will enable it to be a dominant feature of resolving some of our problems.
As the consultations over the Bill have revealed, our interaction with the housing sector shows that the sector approves of and is ready to accept these changes. We want to catapult rental housing so that it is on par with the best in the market, as the rest of the world enjoys today. We are sure that it is possible for us to use this hugely untapped capacity - the potential of this rental sector - as a major provider of affordable rental housing accommodation that should not be underestimated.
In short, the Bill seeks to strike a balance between the security required by the landlord and the important rights of the tenant. It further seeks to curtail abuse of power by the landlord. The necessary steps have to be taken to seek recourse. It makes for a fairer instrument and we want to commend it to this House. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]