Hi guys,
I’m hoping that this will be informative!
1. Firstly, there are 3 spheres of Government: national sphere, Provincial sphere and local sphere;
2. The legislative process consists of a number of practical steps must take place before a bill is passed into law(signed/assented by the president and then becomes law);
3. Parliament consists of 2 bodies: the national assembly and the national council of provinces;
4. The first step is a draft bill or blue print. Most legislation is created by the executive authority;
5. The second step is that this draft bill must be introduced to parliament;
6. The third step(what you usually see on tv on the parliament channel) is a debate of the draft bill;
7. The fourth step(what most of us are already aware of), a vote is taken by those 400 people in parliament. An ordinary bill is passed when majority of those 400 people vote in favour of it. A draft bill that intends to amend the constitution requires a bigger majority in terms of votes than an ordinary bill;
8. The fifth step: Most of you will know from the news i.e. secrecy bill, that a draft bill passed by the national assembly must be referred to the national council of provinces. Should the NCOP pass the bill it is then sent back to the national assembly;
9. The sixth step: The president signs the bill and then it is no longer a bill but becomes law. Certain terms are used interchangeably for law: Legislation, Statute and Act of parliament or simply the act. All 3 terms means the same thing
Amending the Constitution:
1. This is regulated by section 74 of the Constitution;
2. BESIDES THE BILL OF RIGHT!(different requirements).....Provisions in the constitution can be amended provided that that the bill is passed by 1: the national assembly with a supporting vote of at least two thirds of its members and2:the national council of provinces with a supporting vote of at least six provinces
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