Page:Republic of South Africa Constitution Amendment Act 1980.djvu/2

Rh

GENERAL EXPLANATORY NOTE

To amend the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961, to extend the period during which a Minister may hold office without being a member of the Senate or the House of Assembly; and to confer certain powers upon a Minister who is not such a member; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

(English text signed by the State President.) (Assented to 23 May 1980.)

E IT ENACTED by the State President, the Senate and the House of Assembly of the Republic of South Africa, as follows:―

1. Section 20 of the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (3) of the following subsection: “(3) No Minister shall hold office for a longer period than [three] twelve months unless he is or becomes a member of the Senate or the House of Assembly, and a person who was a Minister without being a member of the Senate or the House of Assembly shall not again be appointed as a Minister unless he is such a member.”.

2. Section 54 of the principal Act is hereby amended by the addition of the following subsection: “ (5) A Minister who is not a member of the Senate or the House of Assembly shall have the right to sit and to speak in the Senate and in the House of Assembly, but shall not vote in the Senate or the House of Assembly. ”.

3. Section 1 of the Powers and Privileges of Parliament Act, 1963, is hereby amended by the substitution for the definition of “member” of the following definition: “‘member’ means a member of the Senate or the House of Assembly and includes a Minister who is not such a member ;”.

4. This Act shall be called the Republic of South Africa Constitution Amendment Act, 1980.