There has been no change, Chairperson. I am not the chairperson of the portfolio committee, but thank you in any case. Hon Chairperson, we want to start by thanking the National Council of Provinces for the consideration they have given to the Bill. The South African Post Office SOC Limited Bill was introduced in the National Assembly and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Communications on 2 February 2010. The Bill was adopted, with amendments, by the portfolio committee on 15 June 2011. The Bill was debated in the House and referred to the NCOP for concurrence on 16 August 2011.
The Select Committee on Labour and Public Enterprises reported on the Bill, with proposed amendments. The Bill was referred back to the Portfolio Committee on Communications to consider the proposed amendments from the NCOP, as published in the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports, ATCs, of 21 September 2011.
Chairperson, we want to bring it to the attention of the House that clause 4 of the ATCs referred to, should have read clause 18 in those amendments.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications, having considered the proposed amendments from the NCOP on 16 November 2011, adopted the following. The Portfolio Committee on Communications, having considered the South African Post Office SOC Ltd Bill, Bill 2B of 2010, and proposed amendments of the National Council of Provinces referred to the committee on 21 September 2011, reports the Bill with an amendment as follows: the following amendment to clause 18 was accepted: on page 11, in line 26, to omit "concurrence" and to substitute with "approval".
The following amendments to clauses 22, 25 and 29 were rejected and not supported by the Portfolio Committee on Communications: page 12, in line 52, to omit "National Assembly" and substitute it with "Parliament" - this amendment proposed by the NCOP was rejected by the Portfolio Committee on Communications; clause 25 on page 13, in line 56, to omit "National Assembly" and to substitute "Parliament" - this amendment, as proposed by the NCOP, was also rejected by the Portfolio Committee on Communications; clause 29 on page 15, in line 17, to omit "National Assembly" and to substitute with "Parliament" - this proposal by the NCOP was also rejected by the Communications committee. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
There was no debate.