Page:Constitution of the Western Cape 1997 from Government Gazette.djvu/42

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Act No. 1, 1998

Constitution of the Western Cape, 1997

Evidence or information before Provincial Parliament

25.

The Provincial Parliament or any of its committees may—

(a)

summon any person to appear before it to give evidence on oath or affirmation, or to produce documents;

(b)

require any natural or juristic person or provincial organ of state to report to it;

(c)

compel, in terms of provincial legislation or the rules and orders of the Provincial Parliament, any person or provincial organ of state to comply with a summons or requirement in terms of paragraph (a) or (b); and

(d)

receive petitions, representations or submissions from any interested persons or institution.

Privilege

26.

Members of the Provincial Parliament and the permanent delegates of the Western Cape to the National Council of Provinces—

(a)

have freedom of speech in the Provincial Parliament and in its committees, subject to its rules and orders; and

(b)

are not liable to civil or criminal proceedings, arrest, imprisonment or damages for—

(i)

anything that they have said in, produced before or submitted to the Provincial Parliament or any of its committees; or

(ii)

anything revealed as a result of anything that they have said in, produced before or submitted to the Provincial Parliament or any of its committees.

Code of Conduct

27.

Provincial legislation must provide for a code of conduct for the members of the Provincial Parliament.

Public access

28.

(1)

The proceedings of the Provincial Parliament and its committees take place in public, but reasonable steps may be taken—

(a)

to regulate public access, including access of the media, to the Provincial Parliament and its committees; and

(b)

to provide for the searching of any person and, where appropriate, the refusal of entry to, or the removal of any person.

(2)

The public, including the media, may not be excluded from a sitting of a committee of the Provincial Parliament unless it is reasonable and justifiable to do so in an open and democratic society.

(3)

The Provincial Parliament must facilitate public participation in its activities and those of its committees.

Introduction of Bills

29.

Only a Provincial Minister, a committee or member of the Provincial Parliament may introduce a Bill in the Provincial Parliament. If the Bill is a money Bill, only the Provincial Minister responsible for financial matters may introduce it in the Provincial Parliament.