President Jacob Zuma signs five bills into law

25 Jul 2013

President Jacob Zuma has signed into law the following Bills:

1. General Intelligence Laws Amendment Act No. 11 of 2013

The main purpose of the Bill is to amend three Acts of Parliament which relate to security services and to repeal an Act which had become obsolete due to the consolidation of the intelligence structures. The three Acts being amended are the National Strategic Intelligence Act, 1994 (Act No. 39 of 1994), the Intelligence Services Oversight Act, 1994 (Act No. 40 of 1994), and the Intelligence Services Act, 2002 (Act No. 65 of 2002).

The Bill seeks to repeal the Electronic Communications Security (Pty) Ltd Act, 2002 (Act No. 68 of 2002) (the Comsec Act). Provision is furthermore made for suitable transitional provisions and savings which are necessitated by the amalgamation of the entities concerned.

Lastly, the Bill seeks to amend a number of laws in order to bring them in line with the new security service dispensation.

2. National Health Amendment Act No. 12 of 2013

The National Health Amendment Bill (the Bill) seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003) (the Act), to empower the Minister to establish an independent entity, namely the Office of Health Standards Compliance (the Office).

The role of the office is to:

(a) advise the Minister on the development and implementation of enforceable norms and standards for quality and safety for the entire health system;
(b) ensure compliance with the prescribed norms and standards; and
(c) deal with complaints relating to the entire health system.

3. Dangerous Weapons Act No. 15 of 2013

The main objective of this Bill is to establish a uniform legislation on the use of dangerous weapons in the Republic of South Africa in line with the Constitutional Court Judgment in the case of State v Thunzi and Statev Mlonzi. The Bill seeks to rationalise the Dangerous Weapons Acts of former TBVC States.

The Bill seeks to repeal all the existing legislation regulating dangerous weapons in the Republic and to provide for uniform legislation that will apply throughout the Republic. The Bill furthermore seeks to prohibit the possession of dangerous weapons, firearms or replicas or imitation firearms in public.

4. Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Act No. 13 of 2013

The purpose of the Bill is to give effect to South Africa's obligations as a party to international instruments, such as the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons), which address the issue of trafficking in persons, by bringing its domestic laws in line with the standards set by those instruments.

The Bill is a result of an investigation and a report by the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) on Trafficking in Persons (project 131).

The objects of the Bill are to:

(a) give effect to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons;
(b) provide for the prosecution of persons and for appropriate penalties;
(c) provide for the prevention of trafficking in persons and for the protection and assistance of victims of trafficking;
(d) provide for effective enforcement measures; and
(e) combat trafficking in persons

5. National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Act no. 14 of 2013

The purpose of the Bill is to amend certain provisions under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004), the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004), the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), the National Environment Management Laws Amendment Act, 2009 (Act No. 14 of 2009) and the National Environment Management Laws Amendment Act, 2009 (Act No. 15 of 2009).

President Zuma is confident that these new amendment laws will enhance government service delivery programmes and also improve the good work that has been done by departments and institutions who are custodians of these Laws.

Statement issued by Mac Maharaj, The Presidency, July 25 2013

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