The Ad Hoc Committee on Powers and Privileges of Parliament reports as follows:
1. On 5 April 2001 the Committee was instructed to consider the recommendations of the Joint Subcommittee on Powers and Privileges of Parliament, and to introduce a Bill in accordance with Chapter 13 of the National Assembly Rules.
2. The Committee considered the legislation, research work, written and oral submissions from the public, as well as inputs from provincial legislatures. It also conferred with the Ad Hoc Select Committee on Powers and Privileges of Parliament of the National Council of Provinces, and incorporated amendments suggested by that committee.
3. The Committee's scheduled meetings often clashed with other meetings, which many members deemed as of primary importance. This led to this Committee's meetings being cancelled, or discussions going ahead with only a few members in attendance.
4. The Committee last met on 28 May 2002. An Eighth Draft Bill was prepared for discussion by political parties before the Committee was to adopt the Bill and report to the House by 20 June 2002. However, due to the passing away of the Committee Chairperson, Mr P R Mokaba, this time-frame could not be met.
5. The Committee has recently been requested to consider a number of additional matters for inclusion in the legislation. It therefore requests the Chairperson of Committees and the Programming Committee, as well as the Chief Whips' Forum, to assist it by arranging suitable dates for it to meet, bearing in mind that many members of this Committee are chairpersons of their own committees.
6. This Committee needs to consider these matters in depth, amend the legislation where necessary, adopt the final Bill and report to the National Assembly during the third term.
7. With the above in mind, the Committee requests the House to extend its deadline to a date to be determined by the Programming Committee for reporting to it and for introducing the final Bill.