Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President, the Human Rights Commission was established in terms of the 1993 interim Constitution and continues to function in terms of that legislation. The Bill before the House addresses an anomaly so that the Human Rights Commission will now exist in terms of the 1996 Constitution and when this Bill becomes law.
In arriving at the Bill before the House, the portfolio committee consulted extensively with the commission, and many of their proposals are accommodated in this Bill. The purpose of the Bill, therefore, is to repeal the existing SA Human Rights Commission Act, Act 54 of 1994 and replace it with a new SA Human Rights Commission Act. To a great extent, the existing provisions of the principal Act, although in an amended form, have been retained in the Bill. Any amendments to the existing provisions are meant to streamline the application and implementation of the existing legislation and more importantly to announce the functioning of the Commission.
I want to refer particularly to clause 17, which committee members referred to as the search and seizure provision. We have been informed that this provision can be found in legislation that establishes the Gender Commission and the Office of the Public Protector, amongst others. Moreover, we have been assured that this provision has never been used by the Human Rights Commission. However, the fact that the commission has never used this provision did not silence the warning bells that were ringing in our minds.
The very thought that our Human Rights Commission could break down the doors of a place of worship, does not sit well. Consequently, clause 17 has been tightened up considerably, although fears that the commission could be breaking down the doors of places of worship may still exist.
I take this opportunity, though, to express our gratitude to Mr Johan "Lappies" Labuschagne for the leadership he provided in presenting this Bill to the committee, and we commend the Bill to this House. Thank you.
There was no debate.