Mr G Q M Doidge and Ms S N Ntlabati, as Acting Co-Chairpersons, presented the First Report of the Joint Rules Committee, dated 5 February 2003, as follows:

Mr G Q M Doidge and Ms S N Ntlabati, as Acting Co-Chairpersons, presented the First Report of the Joint Rules Committee, dated 5 February 2003, as follows:

The Joint Rules Committee at the request of parties met on Wednesday, 5 February 2003, after it was adjourned before concluding its business on 4 February when the hon Adv J H de Lange made an allegation in the Committee against the Presiding Officers which he did not either substantiate or withdraw when called upon to do so.

The Speaker and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, as Co-Chairpersons, took the chair whereupon the Speaker requested the Committee to elect chairpersons for the purpose of conducting the meeting. Mr G Q M Doidge and Ms S N Ntlabati were duly elected as Acting Co-Chairpersons.

The hon Adv De Lange was then given an opportunity to make a statement, and did so in the following terms:

Mr J H DE LANGE: I would like to make a statement dealing with the retraction of those remarks made by me at that joint meeting yesterday, 4 February. I would like to say that I regret having made those remarks and I withdraw them unconditionally. I obviously apologise to this Committee for any inconvenience that I may have caused in the process.

The Committee accepted the statement and agreed that it be published in the next Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports.

In response to an invitation by the Chair to comment on the statement, the Speaker indicated that she would be reporting on the matter to the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces noted that the apology was not also specifically directed at the affected members.

The Committee resolved that the issue had been disposed of.