PARLIAMENTARY SESSION ENDS

The final, short session of South Africa's first democratically-elected parliament closed on 26 March with a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces at which the leaders of all parties paid tribute to retiring President Nelson Mandela.

The session opened on 5 February. The SACC and Cape Town area churches organised a midday prayer service to coincide with the start of the term. About 150 members of parliament and parliamentary staff, including Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, came together in St. George's Cathedral to begin the year in reflection and worship.

The focus of the session was the 1999/2000 budget, which was presented on 17 February. Other important legislation under consideration during this session included the Open Democracy Bill, the Child Care Amendment Bill, the Films and Publications Amendment Bill, the Arms and Ammunition Amendment Bill, and two constitutional amendments. (Our usual Parliamentary Wrap-up will provide further details shortly.)

The focus of political activity will now shift to the general election, which will take place on 2 June. The new parliament will convene about a week afterwards to elect the President. The inauguration of the new President is scheduled to take place in Pretoria on 16 June.

CHARTER FOR GUN CONTROL LAUNCHED

The Gun Control Alliance, a network of organisations and individuals calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the Firearms Control Act, have published a Charter for Gun Control to mobilise popular support for key elements of a stricter gun control policy. The Charter calls for:

Strict Screening of Licence Holders

• No licence to be issued to any person with any conviction for any crime involving violence.
• No licence to be issued to any person who has been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Existing licences of those subsequently convicted of the above to be cancelled.
• No licence to be issued to any person who cannot demonstrate special need.
• No licence to be issued to any person in respect of whom the local police have given reasons why a licence should not be issued (subject to the right of appeal). The local police must take into account whether the applicant is a member of a household with a history of complaints of domestic abuse.
• No licence to be issued to any person who cannot produce a recognised Certificate of Competency.
• No licence to be issued to any person under the age of 18.

Control of Guns

• No licence to be issued for any automatic firearm.
• No lending of any firearm to any person except where that person is under the direct supervision of the licensed owner.
• Security companies must be subject to special controls including assurance of the competence of employees to whom firearms are issued.
• Bona fide collectors, sports persons and hunters must register as such in order to possess more than one firearm.
• Severe penalties for negligent loss of a firearm and for failure to report such a loss, including the possible refusal of any new licence.
• Regular renewal of licences--with inspection by the police of the firearm together with the current licence applying to that gun.

Appeals

• Appeals against the refusal of a licence must be heard, preferably by an independent tribunal involving officers in the Department of Justice in the area in which the applicant resides in order to allow the local police to make representations.

Other Regulation

• In the long-term an Independent Firearms Authority should be established, but the introduction of a new Firearms Control Act should not be delayed for this.
• There should be a total ban on the sale or possession of replica toy guns.

Organisations and individuals who support the Charter are invited to register their endorsement to the Gun Control Alliance. Signing the Charter indicates support for stricter gun control and does not necessarily signal a commitment to the aims and objectives of Gun Free South Africa or any of the many other organisations that have endorsed the charter. For more information on the Alliance or to endorse the Charter, contact the GCA at: P.O. Box 31532, Braamfontein 2017 (tel. 011-403- 4590, fax. 011-403-4596, email. gca@sn.apc.org).

REPORTS AND WORKSHOPS

The South African Law Commission has published a discussion document containing a draft version of the Administrative Justice Bill. The bill is intended to give effect to Section 33 of the Constitution. The SALC will be holding workshops on the bill in early June in Pretoria (8 June), Durban (9 June), East London (10 June) and Cape Town (11 June). Those interested in attending should contact Mr Pierre van Wyk or Mr Rainer Pfaff, on (012) 322 6440, fax: (012) 320 0936, or e-mail: pvwyk@salawcom.org.za or pfaff@salawcom.org.za within the next two weeks.

The Katz Commission on Tax Policy has published its ninth report on Fiscal Issues Affecting Non-Profit Organisations. Hard copies are available form South African Revenue Service at the following addresses:

• SARS, 21st Floor, Room 2104, 240 Vermeulen Street (Cnr. Andries & Vermeulen Sts.), Pretoria;
• Receiver of Revenue, Second Floor, Room 229 (Cnr. Rissik & Frederick Sts.), Johannesburg;
• Receiver of Revenue, Cash Office (90 Plein St.), Cape Town.

The report can also be found on the Web.

The Department of Education has published a draft report on religious education in schools. The report can be obtained from the Department of Education, Communication Department (tel. (012) 312-5273/ 312-5225/ 312-5410) or on the Web.