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The National Assembly (NA) has, during its plenary sitting this afternoon, passed the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill, the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill, the Deeds Registries Amendment (DRA) Bill, as well as the Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill.
 
Revenue Laws Amendment Bill
 
The Revenue Laws Amendment Bill brings changes to the retirement fund system in South Africa, specifically the introduction of a two-pot retirement system.
 
The two-pot retirement system aims to provide flexibility for fund members to access their retirement savings during emergencies, without necessitating resignation. Traditional retirement systems primarily focus on long-term savings, often lacking the adaptability to address immediate financial crises.
 
This reform strives to strike a balance between long-term security and immediate needs, recognising life's unpredictability. It permits fund members to access a portion of their savings during crises.
 
Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill
 
The Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill aims to improve the current phytosanitary system in South Africa to meet the requirements of major trading partners and international agreements and treaties. The Bill also supports the government's goals of sustainable natural resource management, effective national regulation, and risk management systems, as well as increasing the agriculture sector's contribution to the country's economic growth and development.
 
The main objectives of the Bill are, among others, to provide phytosanitary measures that will prevent the introduction, establishment, and spread of regulated pests, ultimately safeguarding South African agriculture and natural plant resources. These new measures will support safe and fair international and domestic trade, maintain current export markets, establish new markets, promote crop production and food security programmes, and create jobs.
 
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development briefed the Committee on the Bill on 19 May 2023. The Bill was advertised from 23 June to 21 July 2023, inviting members of the public and interested parties to submit written comments. The Committee concluded its deliberations and adopted the Bill on 5 December 2023, recommending that the National Assembly adopt it during its sitting today.
 
Deeds Registries Amendment Bill
 
The Deeds Registries Amendment Bill seeks to, among other things, amend the Deeds Registries Act of 1937. The amendments aim to streamline certain administrative provisions. It also seeks to provide for the recording of land tenure rights; further regulating the powers of the Minister and the Deeds Regulation Board as well as the Boards composition; extend the application of waivers of preference; and introduce further punitive measures for deviant conduct.
 
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development briefed the Committee about the Bill on 19 May 2023. The Bill was advertised, inviting members of the public and stakeholders or interested parties to submit written comments from 23 June to 21 July 2023. The Committee held various deliberations on the Bill and adopted the report on 5 December 2023.
 
Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill
 
The Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill seeks to, among others, empower the Minister of Finance to make regulations for the effective implementation of matters relating to development charges and to amend the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) of 2013.
 
Some of the technical amendments made to the Bill include the change to the development charge definition. The current definition clarifies that a development charge may contribute to the cost of capital infrastructure assets for engineering services or such cost, as well as the cost of land for parks and open spaces in respect of an application for the use of land for residential purposes.
 
Another amendment includes the capital infrastructure assets definition. The proposed amendment defines capital infrastructure asset as land, property, building, or any other immovable asset, including plant and equipment that accede thereto, which is required for the provision of an engineering service, parks and open spaces, or a municipal service.
 
The Revenue Laws Amendment Bill, Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill, and the Deeds Registry Bill will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.
The Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill will be sent to the President for assent.

Issued by Parliament