METHODIST CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (PRIVATE) REPEAL BILL

Private Members Bill

Submitted in terms of Section 73 (2) Read with Section 76 (1) of the Constitution (Pierre-Jeanne Gerber: MP)

MEMORANDUM

Notice is hereby given of the introduction of a Private Member's Bill in terms of Section 73(2) read 'with Section 76(1) of the Constitution. In terms of rule 234 (read with rule 230(1), a member must submit to the Speaker a memorandum which:

(a) sets out particulars of the proposed legislation;

(b) explains the objectives of the proposed legislation; and

(c) states whether the proposed legislation will have financial implications for the State, and, if so, whether those implications may be a determining factor when the proposed legislation is considered.

The Honourable Speaker is requested to deal with this Bill in terms of Section 23-5- ofttre-l~ationa1 Assembly Rules.

A. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED LEGISL~A..TION

The following B ill (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") is proposed:

METHODIST CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. (PRIVATE) REPEAL BILL

1. Repeal of law - The Methodist Church of Southern Africa Private Act, No 111 of 1978, is hereby repealed.

2. Short title - This Act shall be called the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (private) Repeal Act.

B. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION

1. In terms of our Constitution South Africa is a democratic state founded on the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms, non-racialism and non-sexism.

2. It is interesting to note that, thirteen years into our democratic dispensation, we still have in our statute books pieces of legislation, inherited from the previous regime, that are inconsistent with the abovementioned values. These statutes undermine the

strides made, in the past thirteen years, by Parliament in realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa.

3: Legislation by its very definition would have to apply to all citizens of the country. There is no basis for an Act of Parliament to regulate agreements and arrangements which only affect specific religious institutions. This Act is both discriminatory and repugnant It creates an impression that our Constitution permits segregation along religious lines.

4.This blatant arbitrary unfair discrimination infringes the rights enshrined in our Bill of Rights, more particularly sections 9 and 10 of our Constitution.

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT