Legislation: Hate Crime, RABS Bills rolled over to the future

Despite the flurry of Bills completing their passage through Parliament in anticipation of the 8 May elections, several were still in the pipeline on Wednesday when the National Assembly rose, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Since the House resolved last month to suspend Rules 333(2) and 351(2) – requiring Bills and other business before the House or its committees to lapse on the last sitting day of a term – at least two important pieces of proposed new legislation seem likely to be revived by the next Parliament: the 2018 Road Accident Benefit Scheme’s ‘B’ version and the 2018 Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill.

The National Assembly’s Justice and Correctional Services Committee having called in December for written submissions on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, public hearings will probably be held once the new committee has been appointed and members have familiarised themselves with the issues. The fate of the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill will be determined by the outcome of an application lodged by the DA last month in the Western Cape High Court regarding the inclusion of detailed minority party views in committee reports on Bills tabled for second readings in the National Assembly and NCOP. On Wednesday, when the National Assembly rose for the last time under SA’s fifth democratic Parliament, the Bill was still on the order paper under ‘further business’.

The 2017 International Crimes Bill was tabled in Parliament to close gaps in domestic law that would arise should SA withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is still not clear whether government intends ‘forging ahead’ with exit plans first announced in 2016 – or whether, instead, it is exploring ways to remain in the fold without losing face (Mail & Guardian). According to International Relations and Co-operation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, a panel established to review policies guiding the work of her department intends ‘discussing the matter’ in the light of SA’s status as an ICC founding member (IoL).

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