Mr Speaker, it is a privilege to follow the hon Minister, but I must bring to your attention the fact that the Bill that has been agreed to unanimously by the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development is not exactly the same as the Bill that is before us.
The Bill agreed to by the Portfolio Committee has the words at the end of the preamble, and I quote:
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa enacts as follows ...
Whereas the Bill found in the Announcements, Tablings and Committee report, ATC report, has the words, and I quote:
Be it therefore enacted by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa as follows ...
The latter draft was rejected by the portfolio committee. Given Mr Speaker's admonition that Members of Parliament must ensure that our legislation must meet the requirements of our Constitution and that it must be of a high standard, we ask that Parliament's officials be reminded that it is the draft agreed to by the relevant committee that must appear on our ATCs. Any proposed changes must first be taken back to the relevant committee for its approval. I am informed that this was merely a mistake. If so, it can easily be remedied.
We also want to question the fact that the portfolio committee agreed to this Bill last Wednesday. Yet, it only appeared on Monday's ATC despite the three-day rule. This too we question, Mr Speaker!
The Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Bill was unanimously agreed to ... [Interjections]