Have your say

The Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s Standing Committee on Premier, chaired by Hon Lorraine Botha, will consider the Constitution of the Western Cape First Amendment Bill [B4-2014]. The Standing Committee is interested in what you think and therefore will host a series of public hearings all over the Western Cape in May.

 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

 

The purpose of this Bill is to amend the Constitution of the Western Cape, 1997, in order to align it with amendments made to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Such amendments include how a Member of the Provincial Parliament can lose his or her membership, how a money Bill is defined, how elections of the Provincial Parliament can be called and the dates set for it, and how the province can intervene in local government. Another example of the amendments suggested by the Bill is the current reference in the Provincial Constitution to the “President of the Constitutional Court”, and to bring it in line with the National Constitution, which refers to the “Chief Justice”.

 

Another important amendment that the Bill proposes concerns the appointment of a Commissioner for the Environment and a Commissioner for Children. These amendments will make such appointments discretionary.

 

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

 

Interested persons and organisations are encouraged to attend and participate in the public hearings and to submit any written inputs on the Bill to the Standing Committee for consideration. Please indicate whether you would like to make a verbal presentation on your submission.

 

Written submissions must reach the Committee Co-coordinator, Waseemah Kamish Achmat, 4^th Floor, 7 Wale Street, Cape Town, 8000, by no later than 12:00, within at least three days before the date of the respective public hearing.

 

Please bring proof of identity (identification document or driver’s license) in order to gain access to the Provincial Legislature Building.

 

WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TAKE PLACE?

 

DATE	TIME	VENUE	AREA
5 May 2015	10h00 – 13h00	Knysna High School, 20 Long Street	Knysna
12 May 2015	14h00 – 17h00	Augsberg Agriculture Gymnasium, 1 President Brand Street	Clanwilliam
14 May 2015	10h00 – 13h00	Bastiaanse Senior Secondary, Long Street	Beaufort West
19 May 2015	10h00 – 13h00	Robertson Town Hall, 52 Kerk Street	Robertson
20 May 2015	14h00 – 17h00	Victoria Hall, Ian Toerien Way	Caledon
22 May 2015	10h00 – 15h00	Northlink College, Bellville Campus, 80 Voortrekker Road	Bellville
26 May 2015	10h00 – 15h00	Provincial Legislature Building, 6th floor, 7 Wale Street	Cape Town

 

WHERE TO GET A COPY OF THE BILL

 

To download a copy of the Constitution of the Western Cape first Amendment Bill [B4-2014], click here.

 

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

 

If you need more information, contact the Committee Co-ordinator, Waseemah Kamish Achmat on 021 487 1657 or wachmat@wcpp.gov.za