JUSTICE COMMITTEES JOINT HEARINGS AND DELIBERATIONS

Issued by: SA Communication Service

SELECT COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE (SENATE) PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE (NATIONAL ASS)

THIS IS A JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY SEN MOHSEEN MOOSA CHAIRPERSON: SELECT COMMITTEES ON JUSTICE (SENATE) AND ADV. JOHNNY DE LANGE, MP, CHAIRPERSON: PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE (NATIONAL ASSEMBLY)

The Justice Committees of the National Assembly and the Senate have decided to adopt extra-ordinary measures in order to expedite the passage of important crime legislation through parliament.

The alarming levels of crime in South Africa is a serious concern for all. It is crucial that those concerns are given effect to by the democratically elected structures of our country. In the normal process of the passing of legislation, the two houses of parliament deliberate separately. However, the present circumstances in our country call for dispensing with any process that may have the effect of delaying the implementation of measures to curb crime.

The Justice committees will deliberate jointly for the first time since the establishment of the democratic parliament in 1994.

The effects of joint deliberations will:

• Cut the time period for the passage of the relevant legislation substantially and aims to ensure that the crime legislation is passed through parliament in the current session.
• Send a clear signal to criminals that parliament will spare no effd of anti-social elements that threaten progress and development for our people.

The legislation that will be subject to the extra-ordinary proceedings are:

• The International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Bill 1996
• The Proceeds of Crime Bill 1996
• The Extradition Amendment Bill 1996
• The Institution of Special Investigating Units Special Tribunals Bill 1996 ("Anti-Corruption Bill")
• The Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill 1996 ("Simplification of Criminal Procedure Bill").
• The Second Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill 1996 ("the Police Trapping Bill").

The Justice Committees will begin their program with a Departmental briefing on all six Bills on 10 September 1996, Public hearings on the first three Bills on 11,12 & 13 September 1996 and Public hearings on the remaining three bills on 13 & 16 September 1996. Deliberations of the committees will then take place on 17,18,25,26 & 27 September 1996.

The committees will vote separately and pass the legislation through parliament, the two houses sitting separately as soon as possible after the 10 day September recess.

Members of the public and all interested organisations who wish to make submissions must make their final written submissions to the secretary of parliament by the following dates:

• The International Co-operation, Extradition and proceeds of Crime Bills by 9 September 1996.
• The Corruption, Simplification of procedure and Police Trapping Bills by 11 September 1996.

A copy of the joint program can be obtained from numbers listed below for ease of reference. It will be noted that the Justice Committees have had to make use of drastic measures in this regard, namely, allowing the sittings of the justice committees during the spring recess, on constituency days, during sittings of the respective houses and after hours on certain parliamentary days.

This had called for tremendous sacrifices by individual members of the committees and their parties. As chairpersons, we wish to thank them. We are however, of the firm opinion that our constituents and this country as a whole expect no less of us.

All members of the public are also welcome to attend the meetings of the committees to observe the process. Copies of these Bills are available from Mr Ben Kali and Mr Enoch Qotso of the Justice Unit, Committees Section, at Telephone 021 403-3843 and 021 403 3749 respectively.

Contact: SEN M. MOOSA 021-403 2425 or Adv. J. De LANGE 021 403 2728 5 September 1996