Page:Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 from Government Gazette.djvu/25



Chapter 4—Parliament

Composition of Parliament

Parliament consists of —

the National Assembly; and the National Council of Provinces.

The National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces participate in the legislative process in the manner set out in the Constitution.

The National Assembly is elected to represent the people and to ensure government by the people under the Constitution. It does this by choosing the President, by providing a national forum for public consideration of issues, by passing legislation and by scrutinizing and overseeing executive action.

The National Council of Provinces represents the provinces to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national sphere of government. It does this mainly by participating in the national legislative process and by providing a national forum for public consideration of issues affecting the provinces.

The President may summon Parliament to an extraordinary sitting at any time to conduct special business.

The seat of Parliament is Cape Town, but an Act of Parliament enacted in accordance with section 76  (1) and (5) may determine that the seat of Parliament is elsewhere.

Legislative authority of the Republic

In the Republic, the legislative authority —

of the national sphere of government is vested in Parliament, as set out in section 44  ; of the provincial sphere of government is vested in the provincial legislatures, as set out in section 104  ; and of the local sphere of government is vested in the Municipal Councils, as set out in section 156.

National legislative authority

The national legislative authority as vested in Parliament —

confers on the National Assembly the power —

to amend the Constitution; to pass legislation with regard to any matter, including a