Page:Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 from Government Gazette.djvu/142



Schedule 6—Transitional Arrangements

President, or, if the President so instructs, by an Executive Deputy President: Provided that the Executive Deputy Presidents preside over meetings of the Cabinet in turn unless the exigencies of government and the spirit embodied in the concept of a government of national unity otherwise demand.

The Cabinet must function in a manner which gives consideration to the consensus-seeking spirit embodied in the concept of a government of national unity as well as the need for effective government.”.

Section 93 of the new Constitution is deemed to read as follows:

“Appointment of Deputy Ministers

The President may, after consultation with the Executive Deputy Presidents and the leaders of the parties participating in the Cabinet, establish deputy ministerial posts.

A party is entitled to be allocated one or more of the deputy ministerial posts in the same proportion and according to the same formula that portfolios in the Cabinet are allocated.

The provisions of section 91  (10) to (12) apply, with the necessary changes, in respect of Deputy Ministers, and in such application a reference in that section to a Minister or a portfolio must be read as a reference to a Deputy Minister or a deputy ministerial post, respectively.

If a person is appointed as the Deputy Minister of any portfolio entrusted to a Minister —

that Deputy Minister must exercise and perform on behalf of the relevant Minister any of the powers and functions assigned to that Minister in terms of any legislation or otherwise which may, subject to the directions of the President, be assigned to that Deputy Minister by that Minister; and any reference in any legislation to that Minister must be construed as including a reference to the Deputy Minister acting in terms of an assignment under paragraph (a) by the Minister for whom that Deputy Minister acts.

Whenever a Deputy Minister is absent or for any reason unable to exercise or perform any of the powers or functions of office, the President may appoint any other Deputy Minister or any other person to act in the said Deputy Minister’s stead, either generally or in the exercise or performance of any specific power or function.”.

Section 96 of the new Constitution is deemed to contain the following additional subsections:

Ministers are accountable individually to the President and to the National Assembly for the administration of their