First Report of the Working Group on the African Union on Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament, dated 20 June 2002:
The Working Group on the African Union, having considered the request for approval of the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament, recommends that the House [and Council 24 June 2002], in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve the said Protocol.
The Working Group reports further, as follows:
(i) The Protocol provides that, while the ultimate aim of the Pan-African Parliament is to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, at this stage the Pan-African Parliament will only have consultative and advisory powers. Currently there is no constitutional conflict between the provisions of the Protocol and those of the South African Constitution.
However, once legislative powers have been granted to the Pan-African Parliament, there may be a need to consider amendments to the Constitution and other domestic legislation.
(ii) Parliament should as soon as possible consider the procedure and criteria for the composition of the members to be designated for the Pan-African Parliament.
(iii) The Joint Subcommittee on the Parliamentary Budget should make provision for South African participation in the Pan-African Parliament.
(iv) The Working Group will proceed with identifying aspects of the Protocol to be addressed through the Rules of Procedure of the Pan-African Parliament.
(v) The Working Group will begin to give consideration to the proposed Rules of Procedure for the Pan-African Parliament.