Page:Republic of South Africa Constitution Act 1961 statute book scan.djvu/12

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Act No. 32 of 1961.

had been duly appointed in terms of this Act, and such resumed session shall be the first session of the first Parliament established by this Act.

Annual session of Parliament.

26. There shall be a session of Parliament once at least in every year, so that a period of twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of Parliament in one session and its first sitting in the next session.

Seat of Legislature.

27. Cape Town shall be the seat of the Legislature of the Republic.

Senate.

Constitution of the Senate.

28. (1) The Senate shall subject to the provisions of the South-West Africa Affairs Amendment Act, 1949 (Act No. 23 of 1949) and the Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951 (Act No. 46 of 1951), consist of―

(a)

eight senators nominated by the State President of whom two shall be nominated from each province; and

(b)

so many senators, but not less than eight, in the case of each province as are equal to one-tenth of the number of the electoral divisions into which that province has at the last delimitation under this Act, for the election of members of the House of Assembly been divided, together with the electoral divisions into which that province has been so divided for the election of provincial councillors.

(2) Where in the case of any province the figure to be divided by ten for the purpose of determining the number of senators to be elected in respect of that province in terms of paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) is not a multiple of ten, that figure shall for the said purpose be assumed to be the lowest multiple of ten above the said figure.

(3) The senators referred to in paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) shall in the case of each province be elected jointly by the sitting members of the House of Assembly and provincial councillors for that province other than the members and provincial councillors elected under the Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951.

Nominated senators.

29. (1) The senators nominated by the State President in terms of paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) of section twenty-eight shall, subject to the provisions of section thirty-three, hold their seats for five years.

(2) (a) The State President shall when nominating senators have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the Senate will as far as practicable consist of persons having knowledge of matters affecting the various interests of the inhabitants of the Republic.

(b) When nominating senators, the State President shall have regard further to the requirement that at least one of the two senators nominated from each province under this section shall be thoroughly acquainted, by reason of official

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