NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL RELEASED

CAPE TOWN Sept 29 Sapa

A Bill to rectify the local government law rejected by the
Constitutional Court last week, and to allow the November local
elections to go ahead, was published in the Government Gazette on
Friday.

The Local Government Transition Second Amendment Bill was
approved by the cabinet this week despite strong opposition by the
National Party, which wanted contentious sections dealt with in
separate legislation.

The national assembly's constitutional affairs committee, which
holds hearings on the Bill next week, on Friday said written
submissions on the measure should reach it not later than midday on
October 4.

The hearings begin at 2.30pm on October 5. The full assembly
will debate the Bill on October 11, and the senate on October 12.

The NP has threatened to go back to the Constitutional Court if
the ANC forces the Bill through parliament.

At this week's cabinet meeting the NP demanded unsuccessfully
that a section of the Bill validating presidential proclamations on
demarcation of metropolitan structures should be in a separate
amendment, so that its opposition to the proclamations would not
delay the elections.

Constitutional affairs committee chairman Pravan Gordhan has
urged parties to support the Bill in parliament, but to reserve the
right to refer it to the court after it has been voted on.

- Submissions on the Bill should be sent to the Secretary to
Parliament, PO Box 15, Cape Town 8000, marked for the attention of
M Philander. Facsimile (012) 461-7969.