Bible Society of
Presentation to Standing Committee on Private Member's Legislative Proposals
and Special Petitions
21 November 2007
·
Thank you for the invitation
"to have in-depth discussions" and the BSSA's
"guidance" regarding the proposed repeal bill. (Letter from Committee
Secretary 25/10/2007)
·
The BSSA took note of Hon P-J
Gerber's submission of a private member's bill to repeal Act 15/1970.
·
The BSSA earnestly desires to
work fully with the Committee to reach a responsible decision regarding the
incorporation or regulation of the activities of the BSSA. May we all seek a
win-win solution to a not so obvious and straight forward answer regarding the matter. I personally appreciate the frank and friendly
discussion of the matter between myself and hon. P-J Gerber.
·
In the folder provided to all
honourable members you will find the following
documents:
-
Who we are and what we do
-
A letter dated 29/ 10/2007 to
the hon. Chairperson of the Committee
-
Bible Translations in South
African official languages and
-
An opinion from Adv. JCW van Rooyen SC: The Constitutional Incompatibility of the Repeal
of Act 15 of 1970
·
Today I humbly request the
Committee, on behalf of the BSSA, either to consider
-
Not to repeal Act15/1970 or
-
To allow more time for in
depth research into the best option for the BSSA to be incorporated or
regulated without losing any present benefits e.g
Income tax exemption.
·
Act 15/1970 states that the
BSSA
-
is an educational and
religious organization - 2( 1);
-
with the objects to
translate, publish and distribute into every language the Bible - 3(1);
-
without any dogmatic or doctrinal note - 3(2).
·
Allow me and my colleague,
Rev. Josiah Mazibuko, to share with you briefly the
work of the BSSA.
-
Translations for all our 11
official languages (see enclosed document). This contributed to the development
of written language and literacy.
-
We serve 80% of our
population who are Christians according to the latest sensus.
-
We serve all churches. There
are more than 50 churches represented on the11 Regional Boards which make the
BSSA the biggest ecumenical organisation in SA.
-
Our task is to provide
affordable Bibles and a Bible can be purchased for R38.
-
According to a Markinor Survey (Nov 2003) there is a need for 19 million
Bibles in SA. We distributed this year 775 000 Bibles and our goal for 2008 is
one million.
-
We provide Bibles also to the
blind (braille), the deaf (request for a sign
language Bible), those in prison (free of charge for last 40 years) and in
large print, even on cell phone (a first in the world).
-
Rev Mazibuko
will briefly tell us what we started to do for mainly the illiterate... ..
-
Apart from full Bibles we
address the social challenges of our time e.g. booklets for HIV / AIDS
sufferers, the caregivers, the women, employers and employees etc.
-
Make a major contribution
towards the moral regeneration of our peoples and promoting of biblical values.
We want to continue to serve proudly our new democracy through the distribution
of Scriptures.
-
Since the start in 1820 in Tuynhuys till today the BSSA was and is politically
neutral. It was the Book of Hope for many during the times of the struggle -
provided by the BSSA.
-
We are governed by a National
Board (36 members) representing the 11 Regional Boards.
-
Our annual audit is totally
transparent and done according to GAAP.
·
In our letter dated
29/10/2007 to the hon. Chairperson of the Committee we share with the Committee
reasons for staying incorporated under Act 15/1970.
·
Adv. JCW van Rooyen's SC concluded his opinion:
"I have now doubt that Act 15
of 1970 is not Constitutionally incompatible. The
Bible Society has a constitutional right to not have its very foundation and
its vested rights removed by legislation. Any legislation that attempts to
repeal Act 15 of 1970 will, to my mind, undoubtedly be Constitutionally
invalid...... There is no deprivation in Act 15 of 1970 of the rights of other
religious groupings to distribute their religious publications or even to have
their statutes placed in legislation."
·
On the basis inter alia
-
That all work and activities
of the BSSA are presently regulated through Act 15 / 1970;
-
That the BSSA has a vested
right regarding income tax exemption and that it is crucially important in
helping to keep Bibles affordable to continue to enjoy income tax exemption;
-
Of Adv. JCW van Rooyen's SC opinion
The BSSA humbly appeal to the
Committee either to consider
-
Not to repeal Act15/1970 or
-
To allow more time for in
depth research into the best option for the BSSA to be incorporated or
regulated without losing any present benefits and vested rights ego income tax
exemption. Transitional measures - without cost to the BSSA - need to be put in
place in case other options of incorporation/regulation of the BSSA are to be
implemented.
Thank you for your understanding.
The BSSA promise the Committee its total co operation regarding this matter.
Respectfully submitted
Revd. Gerrit Kritzinger