DA rejects procedurally flawed NCOP ruling
10 January 2019
Today, Chairperson of the NCOP, Thandi Modise, violated the Constitutional rights of all South Africans abroad by disallowing the consideration of the DA’s proposed amendments to the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill. The DA’s proposed amendments aimed to provide for South Africans to be able to vote abroad with either their ID document or valid South African passport instead of having to produce both.
The Chairperson also rejected the DA’s proposed amendment to provide increased powers for the Independent Electoral Commission to increase the number of suitable voting venues abroad. The Bill, as was passed by the NCOP, requires South African’s to vote at an embassy, high commission or consulate. This places an undue burden on South African’s living away from capital and political cities, who will now need to travel to such in order to vote.
The Chairperson rejected the DA’s proposed amendments on the basis that these should be introduced in the National Assembly – as only Section 74 and Section 76 Bills may be amended in the National Council of Provinces.
NCOP Rule 212(1) (a), dealing with amendments to Section 75 Bills clearly reads,