Yes, we have agreed that we will amend the ambiguity. Exactly what the wording will be will depend on the submissions we have received. In fact, we want to stress that before any hoo-ha was made by the opposition parties about this, we had already identified that there was some ambiguity there. So it is a matter of just tweaking a few words.
Chairperson, underlying this all is the fact that some of the questions that are being raised are not genuine concerns about the particular ambiguity in one clause, so much as the fact that many people out there, who are being mobilised in a particular way, want to reopen and rehash issues that were dealt with in 2003 and 2004 when we dealt with the original Local Government: Property Rates Bill. In fact, we spent over 320 hours on that Bill in formal sittings. Apart from the TRC Bill, at least until that stage, it was the Bill that had been most exhaustively dealt with. We also spent another 100 hours in informal sessions. What people are doing in our public exchange is they are bringing up all those old issues.
We understand that people are feeling anxious about paying property rates, especially in a climate where there is an economic challenge, and people are worried about nationalisation and so forth. Of course we understand that. We have said, as I say again on behalf of Cogta, we will make the necessary amendments and it will be very clear.
Of course, Parliament will make the final decision. The Bill is merely gazetted for public comment at this stage. Mind you, we had nine provincial public hearings even before the gazetted version was processed. We now have a large number of submissions, mostly around this particular clause. We will address them in the next two weeks. We are expecting the Bill to be in Parliament by the end of September. Mr Lorimer and everybody else will finally decide. May I remind you that the power does not reside with my Minister but with Parliament.
Progress made by government regarding debt payment to municipalities
74. Mrs W J Nelson (ANC) asked the Minister for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs:
What progress has the government made with finalising payment of its outstanding debt to municipalities? NO2313E