President Jacob Zuma is still waiting for Parliament to finalise
the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment (MPRDA) Bill.
President Zuma in January 2015 referred the MPRDA Bill back to the National Assembly for reconsideration.
The bill was passed by Parliament in 2014 and referred to the President for assent and signing into law. However, the Presidency on Thursday said after careful consideration of the bill and the submissions received, the President was of the view that the bill, as it stands, would not pass constitutional muster.
“The Constitution requires that the President must assent to and sign the bill referred to him by the National Assembly.
“However, in terms of section 79(1) of the Constitution, 1996, if the President has reservations about the constitutionality of the bill, the President may refer it back to the National Assembly for reconsideration,” said the Presidency.
It said, in terms of section 79(1) of the Constitution, the President referred the Bill to the National Assembly for reconsideration on the following basis:
President Zuma in January 2015 referred the MPRDA Bill back to the National Assembly for reconsideration.
The bill was passed by Parliament in 2014 and referred to the President for assent and signing into law. However, the Presidency on Thursday said after careful consideration of the bill and the submissions received, the President was of the view that the bill, as it stands, would not pass constitutional muster.
“The Constitution requires that the President must assent to and sign the bill referred to him by the National Assembly.
“However, in terms of section 79(1) of the Constitution, 1996, if the President has reservations about the constitutionality of the bill, the President may refer it back to the National Assembly for reconsideration,” said the Presidency.
It said, in terms of section 79(1) of the Constitution, the President referred the Bill to the National Assembly for reconsideration on the following basis:
